


Glow

by SabrinaT



Series: Anarchy [4]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV), Peaky Blinders RPF
Genre: Complete, F/F, F/M, I thought I was done but I was not lmao, M/M, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, legacy, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:55:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 49
Words: 83,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21979936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabrinaT/pseuds/SabrinaT
Summary: Set in the future of the Peaky Blinders universe, we will follow the path of Charlie Shelby, heir apparent to the Shelby empire after his father Thomas' death. Everything was going fine until his bookies came back from the races with an "S" shaped wound on their hands, and a message. Even more dangerous is the sudden appearance of the woman Charles was meant to be with, ever since the first time the Shelbies dealt with Camden Town's finest rum makers.Any comments would be greatly appreciated as I have 0 idea of what I'm doing lol
Relationships: Ada Shelby/Freddie Thorne, Alfie Solomons/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Shelby/Linda Shelby, Bonnie Gold/Michael Gray, Finn Shelby/Original Female Character(s), Grace Burgess/Tommy Shelby, Isaiah Jesus/Original Female Character(s), Tommy Shelby/Lizzie Stark
Series: Anarchy [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567327
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Blue

I was thinking Tyler Cameron for Charlie.... ...and Elsa Hosk for Birdie! 

(I'll make sure to include face claims for all the OCs) 

"All of them. All fourteen of them have the fucking thing. Birdie, I am not going to let this go without retaliating. Its ridiculous that someone even thought of defying us like this" 

Birdie Shelby knew exactly what Charlie meant: he had done all the heavy work to get the horse races back under their family's domain, and any threat would be more than unwelcome: it would be the sign of something else coming to cast a shadow over them. They'd lost too many people already: Polly, Tommy, Arthur... From the original Shelbies, the ones who helped erect the company they now stood over, only Finn remained. Michael Gray had long disappeared, Ada had devoted herself to the Grace foundation, and there was no one else. No one other than their children: Charlie and Ruby, born from Thomas and each of his wives; William, Arthur's boy; Karl, way older than all of them, Ada's son with Freddie Thorne; John Shelby's seven children, lost somewhere in the British countryside, still travelling with the Lees; and Birdie, Bunny, and Kitty, the three girls born to Finn, the youngest of the Shelby brothers. 

_Were they even all his kids? Yes, because rumours around town spoke of Bunny and her golden skin, so different from both her parents... Did the Jesus boy, who, to this day, lived with Finn and Luna Shelby, have anything to do with it?_

"I can't explain it either. At first I thought... I thought the "S" stood for Shelby, that they were marking them as ours for some reason. But then I realised that there is another company that starts with the same letter..." Birdie hesitated to say those things, used as she was to being discredited. The issue with being a woman, young, and unmarried, was exactly that: no one paid her no mind, unless they wanted a laugh. Charlie was different, he valued her opinion, but God knew she had gotten too used to being mocked to lose her hesitant ways. 

"What? Who? You mean... You mean old Solomons? No, no way. He's been dead for as long as we've been alive, and the man who administers his estate is a friend, he's a collaborator. Ollie, I think he's called. I always send Billy to deal with the Londoners, he likes it better there than I do" Charlie protested, looking over his desk to find the contracts he had closed with Alfie Solomons' heir, the man named Ollie. He'd been constant, dependable, reliable. The only thing Charlie wished the man had was a bigger pair of balls, so that the deals could be a little bolder, a bit more risky, more lucrative. 

"Who else, then? Who else has the manpower to take over a racecourse in less than an hour? Who else would be able to round up our men, and keep them still to carve a literal letter onto their hands? Charles, you might not want to see it that way, but I remember uncle Arthur talking about that man. What if he isn't dead? What if he has had enough of working for us? I don't think we're in any position to discard any option. And I'm scared. First, the race; what next? The distillery? The American accounts? You know things have been better in that respect"

"Birdie, you're making this a bigger deal than it really is..." Charlie tried to be the voice of reason, he tried to stay level-headed, but his cousin, often called "Brainsick Birdie" by the people of Birmingham, was making a bit too much sense for his liking. Sometimes, auntie Ada would say Birdie had inherited Polly's third eye, her visions, her magic and perception. It would be plausible, if Charlie was a believer in old wives' tales. No one could see the supernatural, or have visions or premonitions. Birdie was simply a girl with too much imagination, a trait probably passed down from her beloved mother, aunt Luna, the one from circus folk. 

"Do what you think is best. But please make sure I won't be tasked with telling you that I told you so. I sincerely do not want Solomons to rise up against us. They've almost all of London working for them, and London is a whole lot bigger than Birmingham" Birdie conceded, sitting on the chair in front of Charlie, who couldn't get past how tired his favourite cousin looked. 

"I will do due dilligence to make sure it isn't the Solomons company, rest assured" he said, picking up his glass of tonic and taking a couple of sips. As usual, Birdie refused anything other than water, and Charlie made it a point of honour to never drink alcohol in front of her. They'd both seen what happened to a man wo drank too much for too long: Charlie had lost his father and uncle to that plague, and Birdie was the one who looked after them religiously in their final days. Ruby and Billy had stayed as far away as they could, but not Birdie; sweet, deranged, delicate Birdie, who never hurt a fly. Birdie, who had refused his marriage proposal, Birdie who wanted to be a hospital nurse. 

"Thank you" she simply said, looking at her left hand as if it had suddenly changed colours, or lost its skin. But no, she was simply admiring the ring Charlie had gotten her when she graduated school, fully ready to be a nurse, fully ready to save lives. But then, uncle Tommy and uncle Arthur had lost their vitality, and she became their caregiver. That was when Charlie understood she was inevitably his right-hand woman, the one who would help him navigate becoming a business owner at the tender age of twenty-four. Hell, his own father admitted he never antecipated living to see his son fully grown, and it was a victory to have lived that long. 

It wasn't an engagement ring, she wore it on her pointer finger, but Charlie would be open to it being moved to its rightful place, despite her lecture about what would happen if they had children: deformities, disabilities, mental illness... the list went on, full of technical terms he had not understood. So Birdie wasn't an option, as sad as that made him. 

A man of his standing was in need of a wife, wasn't he? And how come that was his main concern, even in the middle of what seemed to be a hostile takeover?

"Birdie"

"Hm?"

"Should I go to London myself? As soon as tomorrow? To ask that Ollie man if he had anything to do with what happened at the race?"

"Well, well... Someone less familiar with you would say you actually listened to me" Birdie mocked, scrunching her nose, the dimming light of the sun casting a strong orange hue onto her soft features. "Yes, go to London, make sure I was talking nonsense. It would be too coincidental if I actually had special abilities" 

Charlie could honestly admit to having zero clue what Birdie meant by that, but then again she only made explicit sense about 70 percent of the time she spoke. Her own mother had to ask her to clarify what she said at least twice a day, as the girl sometimes opened her mouth to say absolute nonsense. Times like these were times where the remaining members of the original Shelbies longed for aunt Polly, who had wasted away after her only son disappeared, all those years ago. She would know whether Birdie really had visions and premonitions, and if aunt Polly said it, it was true. At least that was what aunt Ada always said. And aunt Ada was never wrong. 

"Wanna go with me?"

"No, no thank you. I reckon I'll stay here. In case someone comes, or anything is needed. Yes, I think I'll stay" Birdie replied, looking straight at Charles, with those freakishly blue eyes, the colour of the early morning sky. 

"Birdie"

"Hm?"

"Marry me"

She laughed and laughed, her body shaking with the violence of her good spirits. All in all, all things considered, said and done, Birdie Shelby had been the one to inherit what good humour that family had in its genes. She was always laughing, and rarely took things seriously. 

"Absolutely not, Charles. You were born to love someone else" she simply stated, as if she was recounting a trip to the boring market. "Yes, you were. You were born for her, and she was born for you, and she's coming at you at lightning speed"

"Stop mocking me. I know I'm desperate, but..."

"Not mocking you, I promise. I just feel it. Feel it right here, in these old bones" Birdie announced, tapping the space above her heart. In that moment, she looked so much like a sorceress Charlie had no option but to believe her. He was desperate, that was no lie: desperate for a wife, desperate for sex, desperate for the comfort of a family. Unabe to give himself to anyone he didn't love, prostitutes or a marriage of convenience were not an option, the mere thought of making love to a stranger making his skin crawl. 

"And what is this mysterious woman like, may I ask?"

"All I know is she's the reason you refuse to bed anyone else. You know that you belong to her, so you won't admit any less. It is quite noble of you, cousin. But don't mind me, huh? I'm a tired, sad, single, lonely brainsick birdie" Birdie replied, using her nickname in a shockingly crude way. Yes, there was no doubt she was brainsick, Charlie thought, but he hated that she knew, that others knew, that everyone reduced the brilliant Shelby girl to her illness, whatever it was. He had true esteem for her, she was brilliant with business and with people; but somehow, no one could shake the fact that she wasn't all there. 

"I hope she's as beautiful and special as you are, cousin" he simply retorted, making her smile sweetly.

"Me too. She has to be, to be yours"

Their afternoon had gone quite well, actually. Birdie had made sense most of the time, only predicted his soulmate once, and made a bit of sense when doing it too. More than that, she hadn't had any seizures, she hadn't fallen to the ground convulsing, and hadn't stopped breathing out of the blue. A success, by their usual standards, 


	2. Orange

London smelled. Birmingham did too, but it was less intense, or maybe Charlie was used to it. From his house in the country, he barely even saw his hometown, enthralled as he was with business, with money, with the books, with contracts. There always seemed to be music playing in the capital, and Charles Shelby wasn't a big fan of music, having failed miserably at everything related to that subject. His stepmother Lizzie had sincerely tried to get him to play something, even if just as a hobby. But no Charlie failed. The only on ein the family with a smidge of musical talent was Kitty, uncle Finn's youngest. She played the violin beautifully. After all, the three girls born to Finn Shelby were the most artistically inclined. 

_Was Bunny really born to Finn Shelby? Her dark hair and caramel toned skin told a different story._

Charles knew all about those three girls, and about the rumours circulating: Brainsick Birdie, Brown Bunny, and Kingslayer Kitty. Born to a mother who owned a circus, to a father who was the apple of the Shelby's eyes... and to a best friend who was entirely too close to them. Upon the death of his father Jeremiah, Isaiah Jesus had taken his father's place, and by his side, the ever-present three girls. They shared a home for as long as Charlie could remember, and no one ever said anything, no one ever questioned Bunny's paternity. Most of all, no one questioned Luna, Finn or Isaiah about the nature of their relationship. It was an unspoken rule. Just like no one alluded to the fact that Kitty Shelby had killed the fishminger, mr. King. Just like no one questioned Birdie's intuition. The three girls were entirely too beautiful and protected to be questioned. 

Even in London, they were constantly in his thoughts. The three girls, his three cousins, amongst them Birdie, the smart and deranged oldest sister, the one he relied upon when he didn't know what to do. Being away from Birmingham, from his home turf, was agony. He hated it, and he hated London. He hated Londoners. It was hell to be in that place. Most of all, he hated Camden Town. If only Solomons had established his business somewhere nice... but no. He had to go and pick that hellhole. 

_I'm glad he's dead. Glad he paid the ultimate price for setting up shop in this fucking sewer of a city._

At the door, a tall man stood guard. That was it? A man? Not even a giant, or a strongman. A simple man, a simple... foreigner?

"Good evening. I'm here to talk to the man in charge" Charlie started, noticing the man look at him, without a hint of curiosity, with eyes as blank as could be. "My name is Charles Shelby, he'll be expecting me"

The guard looked even less interested in what he had to say now, his only motion being a wave in the direction of a free spot for Charlie to park. As he did so, a vague shiver ran over his spine. He hadn't taken anyone with him, not deeming it necessary. Those men were their allies, they had been good friends even, ever since old man Solomons had died. Ollie, their usual contact, had assured him no bodyguards would be needed. And Charlie, wanting more than anything to prove his cousin Birdie wrong, had taken the advice. 

Once he went back to the guard, the man was no longer there. Instead, he found the front door to the bakery open, wide open, warm, inviting. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, and it gave Charlie a sensation of arriving home. He almost expected Lizzie to ask him how his day went. But instead of the elegant inside of Shelby mannor, he found only ovens, producing insane ammounts of heat. Around them, several men and women busied themselves, looking after the loaves, turning them, checking on them, tending on them. 

_Since when do these people actually make fucking bread?_

"Mr. Shelby? Mr. Shelby, sir. Here" 

Ah, finally a familiar face in the middle of all that ridiculous display of integrity. Ollie looked old, limping, wrinkles all over his face. 

"Mr. Berg. Thank you for seeing me" Charlie smiled, shaking the man's hand. He took the oportunity to examine the old man's hand, half-hoping he'd also have an "S" shaped mark. But nothing, nothing was there. Was it a reason to be relieved, or was it a bad sign?

"My pleasure, sir. My boss is expecting you. In the study" Ollie replied, retrieving his hand, clearly expecting the reaction of disbelief he got from the Shelby heir. What he could not antecipate was the way the boy paled, as if he just saw a ghost. 

"Your boss? Mr. Berg, we always dealt with you, the Shelby company always assumed you..."

"Mr. Shelby, sir. With all due respect. Your late father, may he rest in peace, knew as well as I did that I was never the head of operations. Maybe it's time for you to come to the same conclusion. Perhaps it would be wise of you to... to understand how the Solomons company operates. As soon as possible" Ollie stated, as he turned around and walked further into the tunnel they were in. 

_A_ _tunnel?_

The walls were dimly lit with electrical lights, casting shadows over the two men as they walked. 

"And how is it that the Solomons company operates, and how come I wasn't informed of this before?" Charlie asked, refusing to take one more step until matters were crystal clear. Was the man delusional? Had he gone mad? All the letters he had ever gotten with operation reports had come signed by Ollie Berg himself, not this mysterious newcomer who apparently ran the whole thing now. What the fuck was going on?

"Mr. Shelby, between you and me, mr. Alfred Solomons is as dead as you and me. Furthermore, I believe your father exchanged correspondence with mr. Solomons mere days before he passed. Your late father was aware of not only that, but of the marriage of mr. Solomons to miss Ivy Ivinson, who happened to be the supplier of fine liquids to both families. She too is alive and well, thankfully. Mr. Solomons ran this company from self-imposed exile, to escape the dangers of the... circles to which he belonged. Mr. Sabini, head of the Italian mafia here in London, wasn't his biggest fan, and was a true threat to both my master and his honourable wife. So they decided to get away" Ollie recounted all of that in a low, rapid voice, not caring if Charlie even understood what he was being told. 

"Meaning Alfie Solomons runs this whole charade from the comfort of death" Charlie spat, despising the man more than he had antecipated being able to hate a human being he'd never met. Fucking hell, to think a guy like old man Solomons had simply decided to fake his own death, leaving the danger to others was despicable, was horrible. Tommy Shelby would never, and it had led him to lose absolutely everything. But it was honourable, at least. 

"I wouldn't say comfort, sir. But yes, essentially" Ollie Berg conceded, nodding his head and taking a few more steps down the corridor. 

"Mr. Berg. Did your master tell your men to attack my bookies the on Sunday?" Charlie asked, point blank, comforted by the weight of the revolver tucked into the waist of his pants, hid under his coat and vest. 

"I am not the person you should be asking that too" Ollie replied, facing forward, making them pick up speed. 

_Was the man scared of something?_

"Did old man Solomons order the attack?" Charlie pressed, taking the man by the arm and backing him up against a wall. "Tell me the truth, or I swear to the maker I will end your life right here and now"

The revolver was now pointed at the poor Jewish man's chin, but he didn't seem too upset by the turn of events. It was almost as if he had expected that to happen. Even stranger than that, was the fact that the older man's eyes were not even on Charlie's face, but rather on something over his shoulder. 

"Sir, leave. You need to leave now" Ollie whispered, just as Charlie felt a sharp stabbing pain on the back of his neck, and everything went black.


	3. Teal

There was a painting right above the heavy mahogany desk. A portrait, of a couple: a big man, with a beard and short hair, dangerous eyes, and a nose that seemed perpetually scrunched; by his side, a woman, far smaller, far more delicate, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. They couldn't be more different than one another, and only one thing was common: a simple gold band around their left ring finger. 

Charlie had never seen Alfie Solomons in his life, but he was willing to bet that was the man himself, and, by his side, Ivy Ivinson, the potion brewer. He'd heard about them both, he knew of them, but seeing their faces, seeing them so clearly, so life-like, was... bizarre. It was almost as strange to look at the paintings of his mother, or the photographs of her. He knew that was what she looked like, he understood that was her, but he felt this sort of dettachment from her figure. With the old man Solomons and ms. Ivinson, it was almost like he knew them, like he'd seen them before. Could be all the stories he'd heard, the story his uncle Arthur told about "the bitch who poisoned him". What everyone had failed to mention was how absolutely stunning "the bitch" was, not at all like the murderous viper he thought a poison maker would be. 

His whole body was sore, as if he had gotten the beating fo a lifetime. Upon looking down, Charlie expected his hands to be bloody, or covered in bruises. But that wasn't the case, as he seemed completely normal, apart from the agony of the tighteness in his muscles. It was a rather precarious situation, but at least he was alone. There was absolutely no one there, no one to rescue or aid him. No one at all. 

That was, of course, until the door slammed open, and his face was pushed into the desk with blunt force, a sheet of metal coldly pressing into his Adam's apple. 

"Who the fuck do you think you are, coming in here and pointing a fucking gun at Ollie?"

Whoever it was that talked, was a female. Charlie couldn't identify the voice, which didn't do much for his nerves. He never thought about death, he tried to avoid it at all costs. Birdie used to say it was simply because he didn't want to die a virgin, and she was probably right, yet again. In that moment, Charlie was more concerned with dying a painful death, as his skin produced the faintest of sounds, derived from the metal cutting into it, drawing blood. 

"Who... the fuck... do... you... think... you... are" she banged his face into the desk as she uttered every word, her hand grabbing a fistful of his formerly neat hair and using it to her advantage. The blade was no longer at his throat, which was weirdly not an improvement, given the absolute agony of having his nose and forehead thrust into solid wood repeatedly. 

"Char... Charles. Charles Shelby" he managed to say, inbetween blows to the face. 

One last blow to the table and she stopped, pulling his head back so far the air couldn't go down to his lungs. It became even more obvious that his throat was cut, the movement causing him to hiss in pain. As if it wasn't bad enough, the blade returned, resting against his crotch, pointed and ready to rid him of the possibility to ever dream of losing his innocence. 

"Don't you ever come back to MY home, and threaten MY men. I swear I will kill you, Shelby or not" the woman stated, and by God, Charles believed her. Everything, from the way she knew how to hurt him, to her lack of hesitation or remorse, spoke of experience and brutality, not in theory, but in practice. Those were hands who had been used for bad, bad deeds. 

"I'm sorry" Charlie decided to say, not ready nor willing to die at the hands of this woman. She was most likely the type to kill him and making sure he suffered whilst doing it too. "I am sorry, truly. I will apologise to Ollie too, I don't know what came over me. he was telling me about mr. and mrs. Solomons, and I thought he was lying, that this was a trap"

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

"My men were attacked at the horse race on Sunday. All of them had an "S" marked on their hand. And my..." no, no, don't say Birdie, don't endanger her, shut up, Shelby, shut up.... keep it together... "I thought it could stand for Solomons"

"So, your brilliant plan was to come here, into my business, accuse me of attacking some lowlife travellers, and threaten to kill my godfather? Fuck, it is true that all of you are fucking insane, mate. I heard about your sweet little thing of a cousin murdering a fisherman by biting off his throat, but now I see it's not only her. It's the lot of you, innit? Fucking hell" 

There was something in her voice. An accent. It was London, mixed with... something different. A way to pronounce the vowels Charlie had never heard before. The use of mate and fucking hell shouted Camden Town, while the sharp "t" in throat denounced a second language. Portuguese? No, it would be softer. 

"How do you know about my cousin?"

"Same way you know about what goes on in London without ever coming here yourself. You think everyone keeps the things you call secrets to themselves, but I'll be damned. People like to talk. And most of all, they like to talk to _foreigners_ " the woman spat, prolonguing that last "s" way longer than it needed to be pronounced. 

"Are you? A foreigner?" Charlie asked, refusing to look anywhere near her face. He didn't want to see her, he didn't want to risk her anger if he did. 

"Yes. But it wasn't me your subjects were willing to talk to. I've others to do it for me, people who are better at gathering _secrets_ " she said, again, exaggerating that last letter. Charlie fucking hated it, he did, he hated that sound, he couldn't take it. 

"I mean no harm, to you, to anyone here. I just came to ask you about the attack, and I understand how it was stupid of me to assume you had anything to do with it. How can I make it up to you?" Charlie asked, truly just wanting to get away, go away, never visit that place again. 

"By going back to the fancy house you came from, and never accuse me of going against the deals this company made in the past. I might be young, but I sure as fuck am not dishonest" she finally let go of him, the blade left his throat, and Charlie was able to breathe freely, at last. To his surprise, she decided to go sit behind the desk, in the big wooden chair that was right beneath the painting of the Solomons. 

There was no way to antecipate the way the violent woman looked. With her long brown hair, and insane blue eyes, with specks of green, she was beyond a beauty, she looked like Persephone, spouse to the God of the Dead. More importantly, her resemblance to the two people in the portrait above her was striking, a blessed mixture of the couple. Apart from the unusual beauty, the next outstanding thing were the hands, her slim, bony fingers adorned with at least two rings, and a small black dot, tattooed right below each of the ten nails. 

"You have my word" Charlie promised, nodding his head. She was awfully serious now, her brow furrowed, accentuating the similarity to old man Solomons. Her fingers reached for a simple glass cup filled with what seemed like whisky, and she drank it in one go.

"This fucking whisky you drink here is gross" she spat, swallowing the liquid nonetheless. " _Joder,_ it's disgusting. Now, let's talk about whatever happened at your race"

One question was answered: Charlie vaguely recognised that word as Spanish slang. It also agreed with her strange way of speaking, and maybe accounted for the wild manners she had displayed. From murderous to business-like, in less than a minute. 

"As I said, I had about fourteen men at the racecourse, and all of them were rounded up and marked with the letter. That's all I can tell you" Charlie confessed, watching as the girl poured herself another drink, and filled up another cup as well, which she extended to him. "Thank you" he politely uttered, picking up the glass and smelling it before taking a sip. It really was whisky, and it wasn't that bad, either. He didn't understand why she didn't like it. 

"I truly cannot, for the life of me, mate, understand how come you thought of us, instead of going to the fucking Italians, _capullos de mierda._ Sabini, mate. Sabini is your man. He's been trying to get his business back on its feet, and he has a couple sons who like to play games with my men down at the docks" 

And there went her whisky, Charlie observed, as the girl downed another half full glass of scotch.

"So? What shall I do? End the _gilipollas_?" she asked, observing closely as Charlie took a couple more sips of his drink. 

"No. Wait for Sunday. Let's see if it happens again. And if it does, we'll take action. I will, however, require your help, to have reinforced security a the next race. In case they try it again, we can catch them there and then if they do" Charles stated, leaning back on his seat. 

"Agreed" she replied, mimicking his motion of leaning back against the chair. It almost made him laugh, but Charlie managed to contain it. She was wearing a shirt, tucked into horse-riding pants, a delicate silver necklace with two small pendants: a star of David, and a seashell. Apparently, she couldn't care less about decorum, as she propped her boots onto the desk, while she sipped something out of a flask. The contrast with his own well made suit and expensive shoes was evident, and he felt as if it was part of the reason he was starting to admire her unapologetic manners, and the way her hair reached her waist in soft waves. A woman who didn't need to demand respect, as the mere sight of her instilled that sentiment in whoever laid eyes on her. More than that, and as he had thought before, it was more than obvious that she had seen and done enough to not be mistaken for a simple young woman. Aside from the dots on her fingers, she had more tattoos on her arms: a lion, a bull, and a symbol Charlie had never seen before, that looked like several initials mixed together. 

"Why did you leave Spain?" he asked suddenly, not giving it a second thought. He knew damn well that's where she came from, and he wouldn't leave without getting that piece of information. As for her name, he was pretty sure the last name was Solomons. 

"Wasn't welcome there under the new political regime" she simply shrugged, as if it wasn't that big of a deal. "In fact, I was so unwelcomed they sentenced me to death, right? And I had to escape. Along with my _camaradas_ "

"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that" Charlie replied, realising how speaking of Spain made a small smile rise to her lips, somehow making her look even more dangerous and savage. "I'm glad you managed to escape"

"Ha, me too. _Joder, tio..._ Spain is a mess, right now. My parents didn't want to come, but I had to, right? And it's fine here, it really is. The only issue, Shelby... the only fucking issue is your alcohol. It is an undrinkable horror, _como el pís de un franquista, cojones._ "

And when she laughed, he laughed along, even if he didn't have a clue what she had just said. 

"Charlie. I'm Charlie" 

"Talia"

Talia Solomons. _Joder,_ he thought, hearing the word in her voice, she was wild, and had probably been sentenced to death for things he couldn't even muster in his imagination. But he was an informed man, who knew about the dictator ruling over Spain. And it was easy to imagine her deeply disliking any sort of authoritarian regime, and making good use of that blade she had used on him. 

Emily Didonato as Talia!


	4. Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW

. Rihanna as Bunny... John Boyega as Henry...

Elle Fanning as Kitty... Matthew Goode as Karl...

It was Bunny, not Birdie, who waited for him back at the mansion. It was a mystery to them both how he had managed to drive from Camden to Birmingham in the state he was in, with two black eyes, and a slashed throat. 

"My god, cousin! Whatever happened to your hair?" Bunny asked, making Charlie laugh. Of course she'd focus on his hair, instead of on the rest of him, allowing Charles to tell her whatever had happened once he felt ready. Had it been a mugging, an attack, or something a bit less obvious? Aside from it all, she didn't want him outside in the rain that had started falling heavily. 

"Let's get some tea, and I'll tell you all about it. Is Kitty with you? Is Birdie?" Charles asked, kissing Bunny on the cheek. 

"Well, yes. Karl is too. And... Charlie, I don't know how to say this, but there is a man here, as well. He claims to be... Aunt Ada came over once he arrived, and says it is him. But I don't know what to believe. He's got a man with him, as well, and claims his... claims his partner is outside of town, with... with the Irish" 

Bunny was not the kind of woman to hesitate in that way, or in any other way. Bunny had always been forward in her life, at everything: always the organiser of any game the cousins played, and the one to distribute the gifts from under the tree at Christmas. Bossy by some standards, absolutely great at rallying workers for Shelby Enterprises when Charlie and Birdie needed her to. She was a much better head of the family than Charles could ever be. 

"A man? What do you mean, a man? In my house? And aunt Ada says what?" Charles furrowed his brow, too tired to connect the dots himself. 

"He says he's Michael Gray. Aunt Polly's son. Charlie..."

"Michael Gray? The same Michael Gray who up and vanished over fifteen years ago? No, Bunny... Bunny, that man is dead" Charles sighed, already knowing what would happen: some stranger asking for money, or asking for a job. It was a bit more creative to pretend to be aunt Polly's son, at least that was commendable. 

"Aunt Ada says it's him, she recognises him. And he does look like the pictures, only older. He's got a man with him. He introduced him as his son, and said that his partner is outside of town..."

"Bunny! Please. No more. My ears are ringing. I'll deal with it inside. I just need a cup of tea, and maybe some whisky" Charles retorted, letting out a long breath. He wasn't in the mood to deal with it all, he just wanted to get rid of his bloody shirt and go to sleep. But no, of course not. As if Talia Solomons wasn't enough for a day (a week, a month, maybe years), now there were fucking guests. It truly couldn't be a less pleasant day if he'd tried. 

Not even the sight of Birdie Shelby soothed his pent up anger. She had a cup of tea, and was seating on an ottoman, while she allowed some stranger to chat to her. She was even smiling, the silly girl, her eyes the size of the moon. Not one word the stranger was saying was missed by her eager ears, her lips slowly parted. The man was good-looking, that was for sure, with his deep skintone and dark, kind eyes. In contrast, the other stranger was a whole lot less chatty. 

"Charlie! Charlie, come here" Ada called, a smile gracing her lips. She too was beautiful, and looked like she was glistening. 

"Aunt Ada..."

"Charlie, this is Michael. Remember, aunt Polly's son, the one who disappeared..." Ada seemed like she was going to cry at any moment. For them all, the mention of Polly Gray was a delicate subject, to all of those who had known her. 

"Charlie. You've grown" The mere sound of the man's voice was enough for Charlie to go back to his Romani roots, fists clenching and eyes on fire. How dare that man return, how dare he stand in his home, how dare he... 

"What are you doing in my house?" the Shelby heir growled, an array of insults and threats running through his head. It was common knowledge that her son's disappearance had killed Polly, she had died of a broken heart. And now, her own family was welcoming the killer with open arms, as if he was a hero, as if... as if he was one of them. "Explain yourself! Your mother died, and you didn't even bother showing up for the funeral, she was never the same after you left, nothing was ever the same after you left..."

"Charles. Please, calm down." the voice belonged to his aunt Luna, the very same one who dealt with snakes with supernatural ease. Her presence calmed him slightly, but not enough to give up on the goal of beating Michael Gray into a pulp for the damage he had inflicted to his family. "There are things about it you don't know."

"Like what, huh? Like what, Luna? Like who Bunny's father is? Huh? Like that? You know what, please, indulge me. Explain. Give me a reason as to why this bastard deserves a seat at my table, why this motherfucker deserves to set foot in my house. Explain, Luna. Right now" 

"Don't you dare talk to my mother like that!" Kitty got up and used her body as a shield between Charles and Luna, who looked as pale as a ghost. "You're not yourself, you need to calm down"

"I'm perfectly fine. Perfectly fucking fine, Kitty. I'm great. I'm perfect. Just fucking peachy, right? Fucking hell" Charlie had sounded so much like Talia Solomons right there and then that he had to take a step back and re-examine his choice of discourse. He took pride in being a gentleman, but he was being anything but at that moment. The Spanish exile had seemingly rubbed off on him, and it was horrible. 

With a cup of tea in hand, and seating comfortably in an armchair, Charlie managed to regain some control over himself, and decided to listen to what Luna and Michael had to say.

"Sixteen years ago, I met someone. And I knew that everyone around here would eventually become aware of the fact that we were lovers. And I couldn't risk going to jail, couldn't risk him going to jail. So, Luna here..." Michael Gray's eyes softened when he looked at the circus girl, like he was beholding a saint. "...came to Birmingham with her circus, to get us out. To allow us to have a life in Ireland, without anyone suspecting, without jeopardising our families or ourselves."

"Why didn't you come back sooner?" It was Ada who had asked, and rightfully so. She knew better than anyone what it was like for the Shelbies to lose Michael, and Polly as well. 

"I didn't want to risk it. I couldn't even bare the thought of... of coming back here. Of risking everything Luna had gotten for us: the new names, the passports, everything. I know I was a coward, but I couldn't... couldn't risk it" 

Those words reminded Charles of what he had heard that same afternoon, how Alfie Solomons and Ivy Ivinson ran as far away as they could to protect themselves, but most likely each other, and their offspring. Michael Gray had done the same, and as cowardly as it seemed to him, Charlie had never been in love, thus being absolutely ignorant of what people would do for those they loved. 

"Michael... I... I understand. And I think your mother did too. As hard as it was for her to be without you... I think she..." Ada again, her voice sounding soothing and loving. Charlie could only hope she was right, that aunt Polly was looking down all that time, knowing her son was happy, loved, safe. 

"She knew what happened. I left her a letter, explaining everything. Finn delivered it. She never told anyone to protect me and Bonnie" Michael confessed, making Ada gasp. She thought she knew everything, Polly had always said she didn't know where Michael could be, that each day that passed she became more sure he was dead. But no; she knew all along. 

"Bonnie? You mean Bonnie Gold? The boxer?" 

"Yes"

Now Ada truly was stumped, reclining on the chair, her eyes transfixed. Never in a million years she would have imagined Michael Gray had ran away with Bonnie Gold, who she hadn't even seen utter a single word. What was more, she clearly recalled Michael seducing some random rich girl from Grace's family at her wedding to Tommy. What was that all about, then?

"And this here... is Henry. We adopted him in Ireland" Michael announced, his hand on the other stranger's shoulder, his face beaming with pride. "He goes to Cambridge now, top of his class. That's why we stopped by here, we were on our way back there after summer"

Not even Bunny had the guts to say anything. Birdie was clearly lost in the new kid's eyes, and Kitty was devouring some cookies, brought by one of the maids. Karl never spoke much at all, and this time was no exception. As for Charles, he no longer had the courage to yell at the two men, or even at his aunt Luna, who had such a good heart she hadn't even acknowledged her nephew's horrible words toward her. 

"What do you study at Cambridge?" Birdie asked, tilting her head to the side. 

"Medicine. I want to become a doctor" Henry replied, smiling so widly at her Charlie felt like he had lost his cousin. 

"Great. Will you please check my cousin Charlie? Pretty sure he has a concussion" she added, giving Charlie a paralysing look. As per usual, no one could've antecipated that request, and Charlie himself was getting ready to protest when a sudden dizziness took over him. 

* * *

When he woke up the next day, there was one, simple, and recurring though in his mind: Talia Solomons. Not only did she have zero manners, but she had also given him a concussion, derived from the blunt force applied by her blows to his head. If only she didn't have control over more than half of London, Charlie would make sure she lost all business with the Shelby company. But she did have control over more than half of London, and she was the one who'd make sure to catch the fucking Sabinis at the racecourse. 

"Good morning!" 

"Fucks sake, Birdie, keep it down, lass" 

"Well, no. You've slept plenty, and you're looking much better. Not to mention you've meetings, and I've already filled in for you in two of them" Birdie stated, putting down a tray of food in the night stand, and going to sit on the small chair by his bed. "You have about half an hour to explain what happened to you yesterday"

"I don't need half an hour, I just need you to keep it to your damn self" Charlie replied, sitting up and taking as deep a breath as he could. 

"Promised. Now tell"

It took a mere five minutes to tell Birdie about Talia: about her parents, about her exile, about the way she looked, and about the brutal assault he had suffered at her hands. Birdie didn't seem too shocked by it, all she did was smirk as he recounted, with more than vivid details, what she was wearing, and how the two charms sat against her sunkissed skin. 

"Talia, huh? Talia Solomons. Well, can't say I'm surprised her family didn't let go of the company. And I do know about Spain, and about that Franco nightmare"

"Me too" Charlie confirmed, looking around to see what his cousin was laughing at. "Would you stop that? What's gotten into you? Why are you laughing? Birdie, please do not tell me you went and fucked that Henry"

"If I did, it would be absolutely none of your business! Besides, I'm not laughing because I find my own life entertaining. I'm laughing because YOU, dear cousin, paid way too much attention to what she was wearing and what she looked like to notice something else entirely about Talia Solomons" Birdie stated, biting her bottom lip. Two days ago, Charlie would've loved that, he loved it when Birdie bit her lip. But now, it had lost its allure. He was even annoyed at her, at her presence, and especially at the way she was laughing at him, without stating the reason.

"What?"

"Charles. The minute you mentioned her, you got hard. And I'm willing to bet the same happened when you were with her, beating, or no beating. Care to elaborate on that?"

The fucking kid was absolutely right. He hadn't noticed it, but now he couldn't exactly ignore it, or hide it. A pillow was the best he could do to hide his shame, but it was too late. 

"I am so sorry, Birdie, must be the concussion..."

"Nope, pretty sure it's her. I did tell you. Talia Solomons, huh? Talia Shelby"

"You're an insane fucking deviant. I want a wife, not a... not a fucking outlaw. Don't want to be beaten half to death every day for the rest of my life. Don't want the Shelby name to go to shit, either. She might be beautiful, and she really is. But she's also violent, and quite frankly a criminal" Charles stated with as much conviction as he could muster. It sincerely had not crossed his mind to be attracted to the Solomons girl, as distracted as he was by the probability of dying inside her office.

"Sure. But then again, what we do with the gin and the rum isn't exactly legal. I can't remember the last time we paid due taxes. The racecourses are off the books too, and the bodyguard teams. And we do it for personal gain, don't we? For the money. For the power. Whatever it was that she did, she did it against a dictator, for freedom, for her, her family and her country of birth" Birdie spoke with such softness, such fondness, it was as if she knew the girl, as if she knew what had happened. Charles would be the first to admit that he hadn't thought about any of that, and about the hypocrisy of his own position. 

"Even so. She almost killed me"

"You were willing to kill Michael and Henry, and you barely knew them, they did nothing wrong. You pointed a gun at someone who clearly means a lot to her, and came to her house with accusations. I would say she was in her right to defend herself and her men, and I even commend her for letting you get away with just a concussion and a perpetual hard-on"

Again, Birdie was absolutely right, damn it. She was making a lot of sense, and Charles was starting to be afraid of it. He wanted to hate Talia, he wanted to see her as a dirty, disgusting scoundrel with terrible manners, violent and savage. But no, Birdie had to lay it all out for him to see clearly. His head hurt, and his muscles ached, but his head was a bit clearer now, free of the hate and the vengeance he had started to plan. A young woman, spearheading an organisation that dealt in legal and illegal activities, had to be tough; Charles had been blessed with the cooperation of the Solomons to deal with the violence, the death, and the grime. He couldn't judge the provider of services for doing her job, and for being the kind of person who thrived in that environment. But he could very well prevent himself from falling for her, and that was what he was going to do. 


	5. Lavender

Charlie Hunnam as Billy

"There's going to be extra security, so I agreed with... with Ollie Berg to have his men there, making sure no one comes to try and take the bookie spots" Charles explained, looking over his family members. He didn't know exactly what else they were expecting him to say, but both Karl and Kitty were looking at each other. Birdie was sipping on a cup of tea, as per usual, and even Bunny had showed up. "What? What's wrong now, you fuckers?"

"Excuse me?" Bunny rose from her seat and approached Charlie, her eyes on the same level as his. She looked beyond furious. 

"Leave him, Bun. He's got... other things on his mind" Birdie laughed, hiding her mouth behind the teacup. 

"Birdie!" Charlie got up, scaring Bunny into stepping away. "Karl. You're the oldest. What the fuck is going on?" 

"First, calm down with the swearing. There are ladies present, ladies with double your class. Then, yelling has to stop. We are not your servants, we are co-owners of this enterprise, and will be treated as such" Karl Thorne crossed his legs, and drank from his gin and tonic. "Second, we were just expecting you to tell us what or who gave you a concussion. Why are you not telling us what happened? It's been almost a week, cousin. The race is happening, everything is going smoothly over there"

"That we know of" Kitty muttered, looking at Karl and then at Charlie. "Just because Johnny Dogs hasn't called..."

"He'd call if he saw the Italians approaching. Or someone else for that matter" Birdie assured, taking Bunny by her arm and making her sit down. Her sister was too hot-headed for this kind of conversation. Charles was absolutely see-through, they all knew him so well, even Karl realised there was something not being said. "Now, we all need to calm down. Charlie, they do need an explanation. And I think you should tell them..."

"LET ME GO! _Cabrón_ , let me go!" 

Charlie froze on his tracks as the screams were heard throughout the house. The noise coming from the foyer was as loud as an entire army invading the mansion. Unfortunately, it was not an army, it was probably that woman, yet again. And in his house, nonetheless. 

"What was that? What the hell is happening?" Karl asked, getting up from his chair and rushing to the entrance. Charles did the same, making sure to turn back and silently ask his three cousins to stay where they were. Goes without saying that Birdie did not do as she was told, though her two sisters remained sitted. 

"Johnny, what is this?" Charles asked, arriving at the entrance and finding exactly what he was afraid of: a mass of brown hair, legs kicking everywhere, a wide-brimmed hat on the floor, and a very angry young woman being manhandled by seven Romanis. 

"Charlie, we saw this lass approaching some of the guards at the race, and you ordered me to bring anyone who tried to take the bookies" Johnny Dogs replied, a wide smile on his face, as if he had cracked the code, and saved them all from certain ruin. 

"Please, let the lady go. As for the lady... please stop kicking and screaming, Talia. That will be more than enough" 

Birdie's jaw dropped the moment the name came out of Charles' mouth. The Solomons girl really was as pretty as Charles made her seem, and seemed as wild too. Talia Solomons? Talia Shelby. 

"You know this person?" Karl asked, switching from looking at his cousin in disbelief, to eyeing the newcomer as if he was seeing a banshee. Johnny Dogs had gotten his man to let the woman go, and she was now picking up her hat and putting it on, over her dishevelled hair. That day she had opted for a simple dress, over a white shirt. It was obviously not English fashion, and Bunny would never wear something like that; even Birdie or Kitty, less concerned with looks, would hesitate before putting on something so... different. 

"Yes. Johnny, thank you, and please thank the rest of our crew for us. You can go. Good job on the racetrack" Charlie said, smirking slightly. "Talia, will you do me the honour of accompanying me to the drawing room? I want you to meet the rest of my cousins"

"Sure" Talia Solomons replied, adjusting her hat on her head and her white shirt under the vest and the dress she wore. Birdie was utterly fascinated by this creature, the way she walked, the way she simply filled the room with her presence. Karl seemed completely taken aback by her, as they followed Charles and Talia to the drawing room. 

As expected, the first thing Bunny Shelby did when she saw Talia Solomons was judge her choice of clothing. A hat indoors, a man's shirt under a vest, and a skirt that didn't even reach her knees, all in the strangest shade of burgundy, which made the white of the shirt stand out. As for Kitty, all she could see was the way Charlie seemed to be between fuming and crying. Behind them, a very tired looking William, whom they called Billy, dragging his feet after being woken up by the noise. He managed several nightclubs, and mostly worked at night, sleeping in the day. But not even the strongest sleeper could stay asleep during the scandal Talia ahd put up. Birdie was also enthralled, taking in every bit of detail, even noticing the deep breaths the Solomons girl took. She sure looked able and more than willing to cause a man a concussion.

"Dear cousins, this is Talia Solomons, Alfie Solomons' daughter. She runs her enterprise, the same way we do ours. She has her reasons for doing it in secret, just like her father did" Charlie announced it, causing Karl to choke on his drink, and Bunny's jaw to drop. Billy too was shocked, but couldn't muster much of a reaction, having grown up hearing his father badmouth the whole Solomons family. Billy Shelby wasn't the brightest or the most business savvy of the family, but he did know how to stay quiet, and when to do it. Besides, his father's grudges weren't meant to be his own, Arthur had said it himself a few days before dying. At the end of the day, Talia Solomons was not her father, and Billy wasn't his either. 

"Oh wow. Nice to meet you, ms. Solomons" Birdie smiled, going to shake Talia's hand. In a display of previously forgotten manners, ms. Solomons actually got up to accept welcoming handshakes from the Shelby cousins. She even did so with a smile, repeating her name after each of them told her theirs. 

"It's really very kind of you to invite me into your... drawing room" Talia stated, looking around, and seeing no drawings that justified that name. But Charles, who seemed to own the mansion, had called it a drawing room, so she'd do the same. 

"We've whisky too, but I know you aren't very fond of that particular beverage. Some wine? Tea?" Charles asked, turning to the small bar and surveying the choice of drinks. 

"Ugh, no tea, thanks. I'll have some wine, if that's not too much work" Talia asked, looking at Birdie's teacup with a disgusted look on her face, as if the leafy drink and its lovers had personally insulted her. 

"Not at all" Charles replied, only then realising none of his cousins had said anything since their formal introduction. They all seemed to be surveilling the guest, analysing her, making sure she wouldn't start screaming and kicking again. Birdie, of course, was the only one still smirking, looking at Charles and his perfect manners. Her irises ran from his eyes to his trousers, and Charlie was proud to say everything was being kept in check. It truly made him very pleased that he could prove the oldest of the three girls wrong. 

"Thank you, _tio_. I did need a drink" Talia sighed, taking a long sip and taking her time savouring it. "I am sorry for barging into your home like that, but your men thought I was a threat, not the one rallying your protection troops" 

"I... We... are very sorry. I reckon our men were simply over-zealous" Karl was the one speaking now, allowing Charles to pour himself a glass of the same red, full-bodied wine he had given the guest. "Ms. Solomons..."

"No, no, please. Talia. I rather... Due to... I go by Berg, here. And I would really appreciate if you... if I could trust you not to say anything to anyone about... you know. Call me Talia. I know I have no way of forcing you to keep my secret, but we've been in business for quite some time, and..." Talia said it with such a sadness and... fear, that it touched those present. No one could deny the obvious: it was of paramount importance to her that her identity was unknown outside of that room. And each Shelby made a silent yet solemn promise not to break her trust. 

"Ms. Berg... Talia. Did any Sabinis show up at the races today?" Bunny asked, assuming she'd been there all along, alongside her men, surveying the operations. 

"No. No one. I had my _camaradas_ run security, alongside some of the usual chaps and your Romanis. No one even came near your bookies" Talia informed, running her finger over the rim of her wine glass. 

"Ok, so whoever it was that attacked the men the other week, hasn't done it again" Birdie concluded, letting out a slight sigh of relief. The sun had set long ago, and it was started to get chilly. 

"At least not this week, I guess" Charlie added, looking out the window as well. "Talia, I'm going to need your extra security at the next races we've bookies at. We'll double your price, for the... your men. Your... _camaradas"_

"There you go, _tio._ You sure you're not Spanish?" Talia laughed, and Charles Shelby found himself laughing as well, forgeting about Birdie and her judgemental look. "Thank you, for being fair. My father always said your family was, all things considered"

"So were you. Always" Karl replied, raising his scotch to Talia, who replied in kind. 

"Do you miss home?" Birdie asked, seeing the same smile Charlie had seen when he brought up Spain to that girl. She lost her walls, lost her wild demeanour, and became soft, calm, sweet, even. Spain was more than her home, it was her heart, her soul, her life. Being away hurt her deeply, but it was necessary, to protect her parents. Her leaving had saved their lives, and managed to grant them the cottage by the sea in Tarragona. 

"Every minute of every day. Miss Spain, miss my parents... but I couldn't just stand by and let that... that man take over my country, without doing anything. So I... So I ran away to fight. Got caught, had to escape. But I know how to get messages to mom and dad, they know I'm fine" 

It still didn't feel like the full story. There was something there she wasn't saying, something left behind. But her eyes were glistening as it was, and none of them wanted to push her any further. She'd already said more than she was obliged to, already trusted them when she didn't need to. 

"We also have people in high places, who can help if you ever need it. Promise us you'll allow us to help if you need us to" Birdie said, reaching for Talia's hand out of instinct. Her cousins flinched, expecting the Spanish girl to attack Birdie for daring to touch her. But Talia Solomons, or Berg, didn't do anything other than stare at that pale hand on top of hers.

It was beautiful at first, touching Talia Solomons' hand, but soon, Birdie found herself in front of a firing squad, under scorching hot sun. She was on her knees, the pebbles hurting so badly it made her almost cry. Staring down the barrels of at least six guns was terrifying, and the only thing she could do was pray, silently, and then under her breath. Not one single sound was heard for miles, except the one from the blood drops hitting the rough terrain. She'd been beaten, she'd been imprisioned, she'd even been hung. But she'd survived it all, she'd always escaped. But now, it didn't seem possible, her luck had run out.

Birdie came back to reality with a start, gasping for air. It was the first time she had ever seen something that clearly. She had no idea what they'd been talking about, but she was aware enough to look at Talia, and survey her neck. Surprising, or unsurprisingly, there was a very faint abrasion mark, impossible to miss once one was looking for it. 

"You alright there, Bird?" Karl asked, noticing his younger cousin's expression. 

"Yeah, sure am. Sorry" she replied, shooting Charlie a look, before making sure Talia hadn't realised what had happened. She didn't seem to, only Karl had noticed. 


	6. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW lol

Talia Solomons had a car, a Ford Model T in mint condition. Going down to London at that time of night was dangerous, sure, but it hadn't been her idea to avoid undertaking that journey. It had started with Birdie, Bunny and Kitty having a million questions about Madrid and Barcelona; then, Karl wanted to know how she thought the two companies could scale their operations; Billy became fascinated with the variety of wine in Spain, and Charles... Charles just wanted her around. So when she started saying her goodbyes, claiming to already have taken enough time off their day and their duties, he stepped up and almost begged her not to go. 

"No. It's dark and dangerous outside. Please, stay. We've plenty of room" 

"Yes, please stay. We're all staying" Bunny assured, seeing the girl hesitating. She really was very beautiful, but her loyalty to her cousins was greater than that. As the night went on, it became evident, and crystal clear, that it was Charles Shelby who had his eyes on the Spanish exile. Not only his eyes either, but his thoughts too. The only time when he wasn't looking at Talia, he seemed to be lost in deep concentration, weighing pros and cons, trying to come to a conclusion. Birdie too recognised her cousin's expression. She had seen it coming, she had understood from the moment Charlie spoke of Talia that the two were meant to be, as if their fathers' correspondence had bound them even before their births. 

It was the same kind of connection she had felt with Henry, who'd left a note with his address in Cambridge. 

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause you, or your staff, any problems" Talia replied, laying her eyes on Charlie, and then on each of his cousins. They all had light eyes, and the same sharp features; they were all beautiful, but Charles took the cake. She'd never seen a man that handsome, and it was a thrill to see the way he got all nervous when he looked at her. Talia was never told by anyone that she was beautiful, but she did feel pretty when she had that effect on a man that handsome. It was empowering, but it was also scary. A handsome man once in a while was one thing, especially in the middle of the Spanish plains, inside a run-down tent; another was a rich man, in a manor, a man she could tell looked at her, but also listened, cared, took interest. In other words: one thing was sex, another was feelings. Talia Solomons had had plenty of the first, but none of the second. And she didn't want any of it either. 

"I am absolutely sure"

* * *

The cousins stayed at the Shelby manor so often, that they all had assigned rooms. Charles in the main suite, the rest of them in the multiple guest rooms: Birdie in the blue one, Bunny in the green on, Kitty in the yellow, Billy in the grey (where he pratically lived), and Karl in the burgundy. For Talia, the last free one: the red. It was always left empty, because none of the cousins liked the bright shade. The house was so big, and so over-staffed, that everyone had more than enough space, without even sharing bathrooms. Lizzie and Ruby usually lived in the guest house, but were both away in London, shopping for evening gowns. 

The light in the red room was on, and the door was ajar. Charles truly just wanted to make sure that she was alright, that she didn't need anything. But all it took was for him to step into the corridor for her to come into his line of sight. 

Her back was turned to him, wearing that white shirt over a slip that matched the tone of her skin. Charles had good eyesight, a blessing, a curse, and all of the above in that moment. He didn't know why she had left the door open, but it was clear when she looked over her shoulder, straight at him, coming to lean against the door frame. 

"Hey"

"Hi. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I just came by to ask you if you need anything" he replied, forcing his eyes to stay within the limits of her face. How come she was trying to seduce him? And even worse, why was he resisting it? 

"I'm alright. You wanna come in?" 

Talia probably knew he wouldn't stay away from her room. That, or she hoped someone would, whoever was fine. But Charles was going to trick himself into thinking she really was waiting for him, that she had picked up on his refusal to take his eyes off her. 

Other than that, and even though he didn't have proper comparison, he could tell she wasn't a seductress. The bluntness of her proposal, the open door, completely ajar... all of it. But Charles didn't know what a seductress looked like, and in that moment, he didn't want to. What he did want was to step foot into the red guest bedroom, take that clumsy bait, and... and what? Then what? Be a man? Have sex with Talia Solomons? For once, the thought didn't make him nauseous. But it didn't make him be sure, either. 

"Listen, it's not that I don't want to. It's that..."

"Not with me. I understand. I'm sorry" she replied, looking down, embarrassed for the first time since they'd met. She motioned to close the door, but Charles managed to stop it before it hid her from him. 

"You are the reason I want to. Surely you've realised that I can't take my eyes off of you. But I can't just... I can't just... Shit" 

"That's alright. Not being ready is fine, Charlie. No one can make you do anything you don't want to. You're a man, you're wealthy and educated. It's a luxury to be able to choose when, and even if you have sex" Talia laughed, still looking at him, her arms crossed in front of her chest. 

"I wish everyone had that choice" 

"Me too. But you do, and I can only hope you do what you want to. Don't overthink it" Talia's voice wasn't usual raspy like that, but fuck, it was a little now. Her lips were so red, almost as red as the room she was staying in, her eyelids seemingly heavy. 

"I'm not. I try not to. Most of the time. Fine, I always overthink, but..."

There he was again, not only overthinking, but also overtalking. But Talia wasn't like that, she was all red blood and passion when business and family were not concerned. And Charles Shelby, at that moment, was neither. He was so rational that even if they had sex for hours on end, doing everything and anything to each other, he'd still sit at his desk and conduct business without even acknowledging it. 

"I don't want to overthink anymore" he concluded, lowering his voice as well as his head, eyeing those wine-red lips. Their lips touched ever so slightly, almost nothing, not even enough for them to know what the other tasted like. 

He returned to his own room, where he sat on the edge of the bed, brow furrowed. Sex was a topic he never dwelled in much outside of his conversations with Birdie. She knew how he felt, he knew she'd done it once before, with a boy from her neighbourhood. It wasn't that big of a deal for those closest to him, they were young, free, able to give in to primal urges. And it truly was primal, animalistic, something that a human body needed. Wasn't it? 

Wasn't it?

Not for Charlie. It had never been that easy for him. It was never easy for him, to find a woman, or a man attractive. He knew Birdie was beautiful, but he didn't feel it. He understood the kind of beauty Talia's mom posessed, he'd seen the picture, but he didn't feel it. It hadn't even been easy to discover Talia Solomons' beauty, and it was so damn fucking obvious. 

Damn it. It was obvious. She was beautiful. She was stunning, she was brave, she was wild, she was savage, she was scarred, tattooed,... all the things his family had fought so hard to leave behind, to rise above. She was so beautiful he couldn't even comprehend it, he couldn't even understand it. Above all, he couldn't believe he'd been so incredibly smug, so arrogant. He'd simply looked down on Talia simply because she didn't look, act, talk, or conduct herself in the way all the prissy girls he was surrounded with did. And it was his family's fault, as it was his, for never expanding his horizons, for never caring to know more people. 

Why would she ever accept him, though? How could she ever love a man so sheltered, so overprotected, with such little knowledge of life and the world? And yet, she'd allowed him to kiss her lips, even for just a second. She'd invited him into her room, and to her bed, subliminally. 

Charlie Shelby fell asleep many hours later, and the little sleep he got, was troubled. 


	7. Amaranth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW TW!

The mahogany desk rocked back and forth under the strength of his despair. It was the heaviest table in all of London, but it was moving, moving as he moved, giving in when he was about go give everything up: his family, his house, his freedom, his fortune, his legacy, his courage, his heart, his mind and his body. There, in that office, under the portrait of the Solomons, he promised to kill, die, slaughter, whatever was needed. For an idea, for the ideal, but most of all for her. If she told him to die, he would; if he told him to kill, he would; if she told him to tie a knot and hang, he would. In fact, he could feel the noose on his neck, but it wasn't his knot. No, it was hers, she was making it as they kissed, she was tying it around his neck, and tightening it, too. Charlie probably hadn't noticed simply because of the overwhelming pleasure of being inbetween her legs, fingers digging into her thighs, pouding away, chasing his high, trying to pursue hers. The rope tightened, and tightened a bit more, until it restricted his air flow; but it felt good, fuck, it felt even better now. She kissed his neck, right below the noose, where his pulse became stronger. A burning sensation, heavier and stronger than any fire, made itself noticed in the pit of his stomach, and then went down to his knees, bouncing back and focusing on his manhood, which felt like it had exploded. There was no better way to put it into words, Charlie felt as if he had exploded, and then it happened time and time again, until he simply couldn't do it anymore: his knees gave in, and below, nothing. His neck snapped, and everything went black. 

"Charles! Charlie, what the fuck is going on? Charlie!" Kitty had almost died when she had heard the screaming. It was only 6 a.m., and no one was awake except for her. Out of nowhere, she heard her cousin scream, a sound she'd never heard before and never wanted to hear again. Terrified, she ran to the main bedroom and shook Charles awake, after realising he was still sleeping, and having a terrible nightmare. 

Thankfully, he woke up after she shook him a couple of times, and sat up, all wild eyes and sweat drops. She'd gotten used to seeing Charlie always so put together, that seeing the look on his dishevelled face scared the youngest of the three sisters. He seemed to be in insane physical pain, as if his insides were burning. 

"Kitty. Kitty... Kitty." Charles repeated, time and time again, grabbing her arm, apparently to steady himself, or come back to reality, or to just make sure he was alive. She did her best to remain calm, to allow him to steady his breathing before asking questions. Kitty Shelby had also had her share of nightmares, and in a house with two sisters and three parents, she also knew how she liked others to act when they were present during an episode.

"It's alright, Charlie, it's ok. Don't worry, it's alright. You're awake now, nothing happened. You're safe" she whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and patting his hand softly. Jesus, he looked old and tired, even more than usual. 

"Fuck... fuck, Kitty, what happened?" was the reply, each word being pronounced with difficulty. His lips were so dry they were cracked, and they both realised he was starting to shake. 

"Nothing, just a bad dream, sweetie. Lay down, you're freezing" Kitty asked, trying very hard to sound like an authority figure in front of the cousin who had always been the boss. He was kind to her, had always been, and if this was the only time when she could repay him, Kitty was more than happy to. To her surprise, he actually did as he was told, allowing her to pull the blankets over him, only leaving his face uncovered. 

"Fuck" Charlie let out, running his hand over his forehead. Looking around, he made sure he was in his room, and that no one was there but Kitty, his baby cousin, a strange tether to reality, but a necessary one. 

"I know, nightmares are a bitch"

"You don't say" Charlie muttered, breathing deeply, calmly, to trick his body and mind to calm down too. He'd used that trick for business meetings he wasn't comfortable in, and it worked. "Kitty, I'm sorry if I woke you up"

"No, you didn't" Kitty assured, looking around for some water. He did have a jar of it, but for the last couple of weeks, Charles had preferred his reds, judging by the quantity of bottles surrounding his bed. Why housekeeping hadn't gotten rid of it, Kitty did not know. "Listen, I know I'm not the cousin you'd want to talk to about this. How about I go get Birdie?"

"I don't know if it's Birdie I need. I think I need a lobotomy" Charles laughed, but there was no humour there. Clear as the rising sun, Charles Shelby wanted to forget something, to erase his memory, to rearrange his brain and take control of his thoughts. The wine, the nightmare, that comment... they were completely out of character for him, and it was worrying. 

"Maybe I could call a doctor for you?" Kitty suggested, handing him a glass of water, full to the brim, which Charles drank in one go. Now he did look a bit better, but still... it wasn't Charles. 

"A doctor? Fuck no, cousin. They'd have me commited. No, I'm not sick, and I'm not crazy, like Bir... I'm alright" he concluded, a wave of guilt crashing over his tired body and mind. He spent half his time berating others for calling Birdie sick in the head, and now he was doing the same. How dare he?

"So, who do you want me to get? Birdie? Billy? Maybe Karl? Or I could just fuck off and let you sleep" Kitty smirked, not imagining Charlie would want his even more uptight cousin Karl as a confidant, or to simply be quiet. He was a talker, provided the right people were present. His own father bottled everything up so much, Charles had the tendency to overshare to either Birdie, or Billy, who was ideal as he was never fully awake and paying attention. 

"You know what? I hate to ask, but could you please get me Karl? I need to talk to him about something" Charlie decided, taking both himself and Kitty by absolute surprise. "And Kit... Thank you. So much. I owe you"

"No problem. I'll get Karl" Kitty replied, smiling internally. She was the youngest of the cousins, but she wasn't stupid; if Karl had been the chosen one, the issue was probably related to either women or business. And Kitty Ada Shelby was ready to bet that it was women, maybe even one woman in particular, her sister Birdie. That was the only thing she got wrong, though. 

* * *

"Kitty... fuck." Karl tripped and almost fell over a wine bottle, that tipped and rolled under his feet. Managing to stay on his feet, the oldest cousin advanced into the bedroom, half expecting to see Charles on his deathbed. It wasn't that they hated each other, it was more that they had very little in common. Karl managed the numbers, the maths, the books, while Charles took care of the decisions. Moreover, their age difference and lack of common references contributed to a cordial, but distant, formality. "Kitty asked me to come here. Apparently you want to talk to me about something that has been bothering you. Is it the Chicago account? I told you the people we supply too are still more than happy to pay our prices, they don't have a lot of alternatives within rum and gin with the same quality and from an English-speaking count..."

"No offense, but please shut up. I trust you with the money, I don't worry about that shit" Charles said, lighting a cigarrette, inhaling and exhaling with all the calm in the world. "I need you to listen to me, without interruption, and then I need your advice. And Karl, if you say one word about business in my own fucking bedroom ever again, I will throw you one of these bottles, and you better believe I will not miss"

Karl rolled his eyes and went to sit in a nearby armchair, allowing his cousin to sit precariously on the open window frame without commenting on the probability of him falling off into the front yard. 

"You have my word" he simply said, surveying the rest of the room, mentally counting the amount of wine bottles around the bed, and even on the vanity. He'd gotten to five when Charlie opened his mouth. 

"I've been having these dreams..."

"That sounds like a psychological issue, I'm calling a..."

Neither of them was able to finish a sentence, but only Charlie took it to heart, picking up the empty water jug and throwing it at his cousin's head, missing by at least two inches. It crashed onto the wall behind Karl Thorne, but the message was conveyed nonetheless, condemning the accountant to silence. 

"I have been having these dreams. That I never had before. Dreams where I... Where I... God damn it, Thorne, where I'm fucking. There. I said it. And I never had them before. Ever. I never had dreams, or daydreams, or even the vague desire to... to fuck. You know? But hell, I do now. And tonight... I mean last night, just now, it was a nightmare. A fucking nightmare, a god damned... I think I died. I was fucking, and the next minute I wasn't. Hell, I wasn't doing anything at all, I was dead" 

It had been a normal morning. Honestly, it had been a normal week. He'd gotten up at 7 in the morning, he'd eaten at midday, had tea at six, and dinner at 8. Inbetween, he worked, wrote some letters, went to see his mother, and then worked some more. Everything was going perfect, until Charles fucking Shelby had interrupted his fucking calculations to tell him about he'd never dreamed of fucking, but now he did. Maybe it was Karl himself who was dreaming? Perhaps it was a prank, a joke? Was Birdie hiding somewhere, ready to laugh at him and his bewilderment? If so, Charles should consider a career in acting, he played the part so very well. 

"What is happening? Karl, what the fuck is happening to me?" Charles ended up asking, looking straight at his older cousin, but obtaining no response. "Speak, man. Say something!"

"Hm. I was making sure you were done and that I wasn't going to be assaulted, again. What kind of new little prank is this? Is it a pantomime? Is it a joke?" 

"What? No, fucking hell. It's not a joke. I'm asking for help. I swear on this company, Karl. I swear on... I swear on England, for fuck sake. It's not a joke, I'm desperate, I need help" Charles replied, and the tears streaming down his cheeks convinced Karl he wasn't joking: Charlie would never allow someone to see him cry, not even to make Birdie laugh. 

"Is this about Birdie? Because she did refuse your marriage proposal twice, and you'd be much better off forgetting all about her" Karl advised, retrieving a cigar from an inside pocket on his blazer, and lighting it with the elegant French lighter he'd gotten on a business trip. 

"Birdie? BIRDIE? No, KARL, this isn't about BIRDIE, who did actually refuse me twice, and who has absolutely nothing to do with this ridiculous mess of a week I've had. God damn it, I would never in my life think about fucking Birdie, what the fuck is wrong with you?" 

"Well, if she had accepted your proposal, you would eventually have to" Karl stated, blowing away a healthy amount of smoke. "Unless you asked her precisely because you knew she'd say no, because you thought it was your duty to actually marry"

"I... Hm. I hadn't thought about that in that way, no. But I suppose... I suppose you might be right. I might've asked her because I knew she would never say yes. And I do feel like I should have a wife. I don't know, I felt so strange. Billy has fucked half of Great Britain, even Birdie has slept with that Barry guy who lives over in Small Heath..."

"Correction: Billy has fucked half of Great Britain and a quarter of Ireland, while Birdie has slept with that Barry guy who lives over in Small Heath, and with Lawrence, Lizzie's nephew" Karl stated, catching Charlie off guard. Birdie had slept with who now?

"Birdie slept with... Ugh" Charles let out, throwing his cigarrette out the window, feeling slightly betrayed. Granted, it was her business, but he was her best friend! He told her everything, but had ommitted that detail? And how did Karl know? "Regardless, Billy does it, even fucking Birdie does it and she has daily seizures since she was a baby, I'm pretty sure most of the staff does it..."

"And Bunny, with those nuns" Karl added, nonchalantly. 

"And Bunny with the fucking nuns, and you with... what was her name, again?"

"Prudence" Karl informed, furrowing his brow slightly. Every single time he'd fucked Prudence, he'd been so high on fucking cocaine he couldn't even figure out how he got it up. She was so boring and so typical he'd simply left her at the altar on their wedding day, which was, coincidentally, the day he had promised never to do coke again, so he didn't risk meeting another one like her and almost marrying the bitch. 

"Prudence. Fucking hell, Thorne, you fucked Prudence, and she was a right snotty bitch, wasn't she? Remember when she made fun of Birdie for her seizures? I hated you so much for actually asking her to marry you" Charles laughed, going back in time to the awful day he'd been given the news, four years before. 

"I didn't. She simply started telling people that we were getting married, and I didn't have the energy to contradict her. Who are you fucking, then? In your dream"

The question was bound to come, but he didn't really want to go there. Saying it was inevitable, but mentioned her name, point blank, like that... Charles felt that if he said it out loud, that if he said it at all, even in thought, he would make it real, he would make it something that had to be dealt with. But wasn't Karl there for that? The nightmare was the tipping point, the straw that broke the camel's back; Charlie had to face his problem, and he had to face it head on. On the count of three... two... one...

"Talia Solomons" Charles muttered, expecting Karl to lose his cool and start asking a thousand questions. But no, he did nothing, absolutely nothing, other than drag on his cigar, and exhale a cloud of tobacco-scented smoke. It was almost insulting, Charles deamed, that his big reveal had been met with such disdain. 

"Hm"

"Hm what? What does hm mean?" Charles asked, ready to throw hands with his cousin if the need arose, if the fucking idiot didn't say something a bit better than "hm". 

"Talia Solomons is a good-looking woman, and I do understand the allure" Karl stated, ditching his cigar and retrieving the much more Karl-typical oakwood pipe. 

"And?" Charlie replied, raising an eyebrow. He was very aware of the allure, thank you very much. Matter of fact, he considered himself a victim of the allure, a poor and unsuspecting victim allure...

"You say you've never fucked. Ever. That true?" Karl asked, out of nowhere, forgetting to pronounce every single sentence in a gramatical manner; almost as if he was in a rush to get them out. 

"God's honest truth" Charlie replied, nodding his head for emphasis. "Never wanted to, either"

Without another word, Karl Thorne and his respective pipe got up and left the room, leaving Charlie behind, absolutely gobsmacked. He didn't even dare leave the window, get up and go about his business, in case Karl came back. The older man eventually did, pipe held only by his teeth, carrying a newspaper with him, of odd dimensions. Still in absolute silence, he opened it and put his glasses on to look for a specific page. Once found, Karl opened the paper wide, folded it, and threw it at Charlie, who barely got ahold of it. 

It was in Spanish, and a small note at the top of every page read _La Vanguardia_.

"You might want to read international papers more often, lad." Karl simply said, going to sit on the same armchair, smoking his pipe peacefully. 

"I don't know any Spanish" Charles confessed, looking at his cousin, his heart beating on his throat. He was so fucking nervous he didn't even dare look any further than the page number. 

"Grow a pair and look at the picture"

Two deep breaths were enough for Charles Shelby to do exactly that, his eyes going down the page at a snail's pace, as if he could avoid whatever Karl wanted to show him by simply not acknowledging it. But the antecipation was nothing compared to the reality of staring down Talia Solomons, printed in black and white on a foreign paper, holding a small sign with a number, and the name _Tovar_.

"What does it say? Underneath?" Charles asked, not daring to look away from the paper, wanting nothing more than to keep the picture, kiss it, worship it, cherish it...

"It says something along the lines of her being arrested for conspiracy to commit treason, arson, armed robbery, homicide... the usual guerilla type stuff. It also says she was arrested and sentenced to death along a mr. Vicente Tovar. Her husband" Karl informed, smoking his pipe laboriously. He had seen enough of the world, he had experiences Charles couldn't even imagine. More than that, he took pride in not having any sort of emotion. But even he had to admit it hurt to see the look on Charles' face, he looked like he truly, honestly, wanted to be dead. 


	8. Baker-Miller Pink

"You know what I think? I think they want... how do you say... _cojones_.... how do you fucking... _puta mierda_..."

"Miss, I wouldn't have the first clue." Ollie didn't even bother with saying it out loud, limiting himself to muttering the dismisal. He didn't know Spanish, so he wasn't of any help. The only words he did know were, amongst others not used in elegant venues, the ones cited above. Giving credit where credit is due, Ivy Ivinson had at least been able to give her daughter the eyes and the striking beauty. The rest, unfortunately, was her father, through and through. It was some sort of witchcraft, Ollie assumed, to be able to have such a perfect carbon copy of Alfie Solomons, down to the expressions, but in Spanish. 

"The dock! That's it. _La doca. Quieren mi doca, pijones gilipollas_ "

"Ah, yes, I think so too. And what shall we do? About that" he asked, sincerely hoping no one would ever ask the young miss Solomons to an upscale restaurant or civilized dinner. 

"Hm? Ah, well. What would you do?" Talia asked, proving Ollie's theory of her inability to function in society by putting her legs on the desk, and taking a full swig from her flask. 

"Miss Talia, I know what I would do, but I am also aware that it would never be enough for you. I will suggest something, and you will say it's not enough, and you'll go ahead and do something that ends up in blood. Am I right?"

"Ah, _tio..._ You know me too well, eh? Like my dear father would say, you got me down pat. _Eres la leche, carajo, la eres sin duda_ " Talia laughed, and Oliver Berg saw Ivy Ivinson in that very moment, for the first time in well over fifteen years. To see her, out of nowhere, in so long... It was sweet, but it was torture, just like loving her had been when she was still in London, when she was still there, her and Alfie, trying to hide how they'd fuck all over, how in love they were, how much alike they always had been. Ollie remembered, better than anything in his life, better than the birth of his own children, the split second when he'd seen his boss, his master, kissing the woman he loved. It had been the very moment Ollie had promised never to hope for anything again. Of course, it seemed possible, until the arrival of their child reminded him of everything he'd battled to forget, to bury. His sons were gone from home, working abroad for the Solomons enterprise, and he was left behind, aiding the loose cannon that would never let him live a happy life. Talia, however, had this terrible habit of growing on people; and Oliver himself now felt like he'd gained a daughter, and sometimes enjoyed pretending she really was his. 

"If you really want my advice, I would say all you need to do is rid them of a reason to need the dock to move product. Meaning getting rid of the product" Ollie suggested, already bracing himself for the flurry of colourful language he was bound to get in return for his thoughts. But Talia did no such thing. She leaned back, scrunched her lips (just like her father, it was incredible), and put her legs down. 

"Yes. I agree. Let's do that. Godfather, will you please find out why the Sabini family wants my dock? Where they keep the product they're intending to ship?" 

"Excuse me?" Ollie asked, startled to hear her speak with such good manners. She was never rude to him, far from it, but every other word was strongly punctuated by spirited blasphemy. 

"I know you hate it when I say... _ai como se dice...._ the bad words. The ugly words. You know what I mean, right? So I will try not to say them" Talia shrugged, making Ollie chuckle. She truly was something else, that kid with a kind heart but such a foul mouth. 

"It's not that I don't like it, Talia. It's that I think you spent way too long with the _maquis_ and not long enough in English society" he confessed, making her smile in return. He knew she knew, and it was very entertaining how she tried so very hard to act like a lady around him, and the few select guests that came by the bakery. Charles Shelby, of course, had been an exception, an exception who had threatened Ollie, the one thing Talia would not let pass.

"I agree. You know who has good manners? Those little Shelby girls. The three girls. You know them?" Talia asked, retrieving her flask yet again, and trying to sip, but finding it empty. 

"I have met Ms. Birdie Shelby on a couple of ocasions, when they offer dinners for close collaborators. She does indeed have good manners, and is a very beautiful young lady, with nice dresses and nice shoes" Ollie abliged, lamenting the contrast between the young ms. Shelby, and the young woman in front of him, who only ever wore men shirts and either pants, or skirs that were way too short. Not only that, but she had the terrible habit of fixing her car, other people's cars, ovens, fences, and whatever was needed, and then cleaning her dirty hands on her clothes. 

"The man. The big boss of the Shelbies. The one who attacked you" 

"Charles. The one you gave a concussion to" Ollie reminded, making her laugh, almost histerically. She not only liked to fix things, drink heavily, and swear, she also enjoyed taking other matters into her own hands, such as beatings, setting buildings on fire, and threatening. 

"Charles. He might've mentioned that" Talia recalled, looking around for a beverage. 

"Was that before or after you were done bashing his head into this table?"

"Hm. Before I was done, I think" Talia said, sucking on the tip of a nearby pencil. "I tried to fu... I mean, I tried to... Hm" 

"I'm going to assume you tried to seduce him, which by your standards meant undressing in front of him and winking. Did it work?" Ollie knew very well what he was talking about, he'd seen her try and do the exact same thing with the postman. The poor lad had almost had a stroke while having a cup of coffee inside the bakery one day. Needless to say, it had not worked, and Talia was still unsure why. 

"Did it work? Well, no, it didn't. I am not used to it not working. But now I know why it is" she said, smuggly. It did instill the fear of a higher power in poor Ollie, who had never done very well with her conclusions, and worse: with her plans to better her conduct. 

"And why would that be, Talia?"

"Because English women do not do this. They have... hm. They're... _mojigatas_ " Talia said, with an actual snare, as if the proper and educated English females were not only wrong, but mostly opressed by society and proper conduct. "So that's what English men like, innit? Ah, see, I know it's true. Your woman is so well behaved, so amicable, she would never even show a bit of a tit, would she? Nor would Birdie Shelby, no sir! Ah, but I wasn't raised that way. No, I was raised free, I could go to the sea naked and no one would say anything! And then, in the camps, no one looked at anybody, no one cared... I think you're all so proper and uptight because you're bored. Because there's nothing to fight for. You've it all, Englishmen. And like I told Charles Shelby: a man with his money and his education, he has the world to himself. And that's why he didn't fuck me. _Joder_ , _porque le gustan las pijas, las mojigatas, las... chicas educadas_ " 

"And that's not a bad thing, Talia. They aren't better than you, nor are you better than them"

"See, that's... that's not true. They... the women, _mis hermanas inglesas_ , they are better than me. They have the etiquette and I do not. They have skills I do not posess. They have the dresses and the shoes, and the beautiful hair, and the beautiful way of walking, and talking, and eating. There is nothing beautiful here, eh? But that is fine. It is fine" 

"Talia. Look at me" Ollie looked at the painting before he leaned over and took his goddaughter's face in his hands, looking into her eyes, making sure she understood. "Even if there was no beauty in you, there would be brains, and courage, and selflessness. Even without manners and without pretty dresses, even without a fascinator, or lace, or gloves, you would still be the woman who tried to give her life for her country. These women you talk about, they've etiquette, but they're not free, they've never known freedom. They are the ones with money, and that's a very small percentage. The rest, they are forced to do everything and anything, to put food on the table, to even survive. I need you to understand that no one is better than anyone else, just because of that. Deep down, you, them, every single woman on earth, is trying to do her best to stay alive, and to maybe thrive, in a world commandeered by men like Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, or even just their father, brother, or boss, who tries to deny them simple basic rights. Stand with them, sweetheart, not against them. Don't think less of yourself, or of them, because of what these men tell you you should be. Your mother taught you this, I know she did, and your father always paid the women the same he did men, for the same job. Take your spark, take what makes you special, and try to make thus world a better place, for all of you, manners, or no manners"

Talia stood quiet for a couple of minutes, truly blown away by what she had just heard. Her own mother did tell her that everyone was born equal, and deserved equal rights and oportunities. But of course, after everything Talia herself had seen and done, it was easy to forget all about it, and needing a reminder. Ollie, in his infinite wisdom and kindness, had told her what she needed to hear, what she had to hear. 

"Thank you, godfather. I understand, and I will try to do better, and not judge" Talia said, so solemnly Ollie had to laugh. She truly was something else, cut from the good, yet harsh, Solomons cloth: hard-headed, brash, smug, but fair and even soft when it was possible. A sheep, in wolf's clothing. "I have a... a... a request"

"I would like to go with you to the Shelby dinner. And I would like a beautiful dress, and beautiful shoes"

"Is the king going to be present?"

"No. But I regret to inform my heart started beating faster when we talked about the Shelby I gave a concussion to" Talia stated, letting out a defeated sigh, instinctly taking a sip from the ornate flask, which was, unfortunately, still empty. 


	9. Bleu de France

The annual Shelby dinner was not a society event, it was for business; however, the presence of some distinguished guests turned it into an elegant evening, one where everyone, from the house staff to the chief of operations, looked and acted their best. From the family, only the older cousins, dealing with official business, attended: Charles, of course, Birdie, and Karl. Billy, manager of fine and not-so-fine nightlife, was never in attendance, and neither were Bunny and Kitty, too young, and too unpredictable. Luna Lee-Shelby, honourable business owner of her own, and key distributor of the Shelby's fine liquors in Britain, was also invited, despite not paying a dime in taxes for her activities. Oliver Berg, of Solomons industries, was a regular, with his silent and simple wife, Shoshanna.

"The guests are arriving, sweeties, you need to come down and greet them" Birdie whispered, opening the door to the study ever so slightly, as if she was afraid of what would happen to her when she did. Inside, Karl and Charles sat on their respective armchairs, one smoking his pipe, the other a cigar, both looking at the ground, intensely focused on something Birdie ignored completely.

"Hm" was Karl's answer, which was expected. Charlie said nothing, which was even stranger. They both looked quite dapper, but the air was too heavy around them for the oldest of the Shelby girls to predict an uneventful night.

"We'll be right there, Bird" Charles decided to say, getting up and staring Karl down. Birdie decided to leave, still puzzled by that scene. Karl and Charles didn't even get along that well, why were they suddenly seeking each other's company, when they should be welcoming people? Most of all, how come Charles was staring at their older cousin like that?

"Well, old boy. I guess this is it, isn't it?" Charles said, provoking the raise of an eyebrow. Old boy?

"What in the world does that mean, Charles?"

"I am going to see the evil little bitch, and I will tell her exactly what I think about her, to her face" Charles informed, dragging on his cigar. He could never get the amount of smoke from it Karl could, but by God he would try.

"You are not, you absolute nut. You are going to greet her politely, and that is it. Do not touch the subject. Ignore her if you must, but do not cause a scene, cousin. I will go as far as begging you not to do such a thing" Karl did indeed beg, getting up and looking straight at Charles, who actually took a step back. "This dinner is important, even aunt Luna is here, do not embarrass this family, Charles. I mean it. Do not embarrass this family just because you can't get what you want"

"Ah... I would never" Charles said, trying to save face. There went that plan, he thought. He had it all down pat in his head: he would see her, realise she wasn't worth all the hassle, and then say something absolutely devastating, causing her to cry and probably yell, embarrassing herself, showing her true savage colours. Not for once did it occur to him that it was a private matter, meant to be discussed privately; nor did he think that Talia Solomons was worthy of respect. Charles Shelby was, above all, extremely sheltered and arrogant; for him, he'd been lied to, and led on. And that, he could not, and would not, allow.

"Oh, yes you would. But I am telling you right now: you do anything to humiliate that girl, and I will hand in my resignation. And I think Birdie and Bunny will too. You have no right to assume anything, maybe that man is dead, maybe there is more to this story. If you want, pull her aside, ask her about it. But do it respectfully. She owes you nothing, and you've absolutely no right to pry into her life. I showed you that picture to prevent you from getting hurt, to encourage you to look more into her, to talk to her; I did not show you that so that you could parade around your fucking ego and sense of superiority. Believe me, cousin: you need to get your story straight. Take it from someone who has lost the only love he's ever known because of something very similar to this" Karl Thorne said it all with one breath, to make it crystal clear. He didn't need to go into any more detail for Charles to get the message.

"Karl, I..."

"We need to go. Remember what I said. If I see you do as much as look at Talia Berg wrong, I will deck you in the face myself"

* * *

Adding insult to injury, "the girl" was actually dressed appropriately for the occasion, with a long evening gown, a fur stole, and her hair in an elegant side swept style, very on trend. What wasn't very on trend was the absolute surveillance Charles found himself under. He hadn't even been able to kiss his aunt Luna in the cheek without Karl or Birdie around, not even making an effort to be discrete.

"Ms. Berg, you are a wonderful addition to this dinner table. Tell me, how come we had never met mr. Berg's enchanting daughter?" the question came as they started dessert, from mr. Lewis, an associate in Northern Ireland.

"Erm... my wife Shoshanna didn't feel like she was ready to be introduced to society until now" Ollie said, thankful that Talia was busy picking up every piece of cuttlery and inspecting it like she had been assigned to customs at the British border. "She is still a bit... green"

"Hm?" Talia asked, raising her eyes to her adoptive father for the night, and then to the man who spoke."Yes, my mother. She sent me away to etiquette school. For..."

"Difficult cases" Ollie said, and, from the other end of the table, Charles Shelby let out a humourless laugh, only to be stopped by both Karl and Birdie's kicks to his shins.

"And is ms. Berg thinking of settling down with someone? You see, I have a son, a fine young man..."

"Who plays for Michael Gray's team" Birdie whispered under her breath, making her mother laugh.

"...who is searching for a young wife, such as yourself" mr. Lewis concluded, looking at the Spaniard with expecting eyes. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Ahm, mr...."

"Lewis, miss"

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry, mr. Lewis. I would love to meet your fine young son, but perhaps not to pursue a marriage" Talia responded, blowing the Shelby cousins away. That was absolutely wild, coming from the girl they'd met, kicking and screaming.

"Maybe the young lady is already affianced?" mr. Lewis asked Ollie, ignoring the object of his interest blatantly, dismissing her as a weird little girl who had no idea what was best for her.

"No, no, mr. Lewis, not at all, my Talia is... intensely single"

Karl and Charles exchanging looks, the latter taking several sips of his white wine in quick succession. What did intensely single even mean?

"What she means is that she is only now getting to know society and all the people in it" Ollie informed, somehow managing to look at mr. Lewis, and then at Charlie, the transition seamless and imperceptible. Again, Charles Shelby had absolutely no idea of what was actually going on, but it seemed to me amusing Karl to no end, and Karl was never amused. 

* * *

"Ms. Berg? My cousin Charles would like a word with you, if it's not too much trouble"

It ended up being Birdie the chosen cousin to serve as envoy. Karl was still laughing way too hard at the awkward exchange at the table, and Charles had tried to approach her several times, but had lost his nerve halfway there.

"Talia" she replied, allowing Birdie to take her arm and lead her to the balcony. What Charles fucking Shelby, who'd been acting like a prick all dinner, could want with her? In private nonetheless, in that damned drawing room she'd already seen. What was worse was the way he'd laughed at her during dinner, making her feel as small as a cockroach.

"Sorry. There he is, I'll make sure no one bothers you" Birdie said, exiting the room and closing the door carefully behind her.

"What do you have to say to me?" Talia asked, her voice cold as ice, though she accepted the glass of wine Charles extended to her.

"What did I do to you now?" he asked in return, getting defensive. Who was she to speak to him in such a tone? Was she hellbent on proving she had no manners?

"Well, for starters, you shook everyone's hand but mine when I arrived. People noticed. You didn't even look at me. And then, at dinner, when I did my best not to embarrass anyone, you still laughed at me, as if I had been born in a cave and dragged instead of raised. I will not allow you to make me feel inferior. And unless you asked me here to offer an explanation or an apology, I must go back" Talia spat, putting down her wine and staring at Charles with such an intensity he felt like she was seeing his every flaw, his every issue. It was true, he had to admit that; he really had ignored her, and then had laughed at her, even when she was positively being harrassed. It was something he couldn't hope to be forgiven, and one more reason why he needed to stop dreaming of her: instead of displaying Talia's flaws, the dinner had done nothing but expose his own, showing Charles why he would never be worthy of such a woman, why he had to forget about her altogether. 

"Talia, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I acted the way I did. Well, no, I do know. But it doesn't explain, let alone excuse my behaviour with you tonight. I am honestly embarrassed, and I never meant to make you feel inferior" Charles ended up saying, choosing to omit that he had wanted just that mere hours earlier, before Karl had made him realise how completely disgusting it was.

"What's your reason, then? Let me be the one to judge whether it explains your behavior" Talia replied, still not convinced, but yet still hoping and praying he had a good reason, that he was deep down good, that he cared about her, like she did about him... what she wasn't counting on was being given an old issue of _La Vanguardia_ , open to show her own picture, taken by Spanish authorities, when she had been captured and sentenced to death by firing squad. "Where... where did you get this?"

"Doesn't matter. And I don't care that you were sentenced for those crimes either. What I do care about is the fact that the article mentions your husband" Charles let out, examining her face, and feeling even more like shit when he saw the tears forming behind her eyelashes, and the skeleton of a finger running over the girl in the picture. Seeing the two of them, the real one and the print version, he could tell the difference, it was obvious. She was skinnier now, the tattoos on her fingers were also newer, and the expression of defiance in the picture was muted to almost nothing. If she looked dangerous now, she had looked like a demon when she was captured.

"Vicente. Vicente was not my husband. He offered me his last name so that I could conceal my own, and we always said we were brother and sister. The paper saw the same last name and assumed a marriage, when in reality it was nothing of the sort" Talia said, her voice trailing off into nothing. She couldn't stop looking at herself in the paper, her hands grasping it so hard that it was almost ripping.

"Talia, I am so, so sorry..." Charles said, reaching for her shoulder, not knowing what else to do. But she didn't allow it; instead, she opted for throwing the paper at Charlie, who didn't even raise a finger. Whatever she wanted to do to him, was justified, and he knew he deserved it.

"You treated me like that because you thought you couldn't have me. Because you thought I had someone else. You treated me like I was garbage because you couldn't have me" Talia whispered, looking around like a woman posessed. She had never been so insulted, she had never been put in a situation like that. It didn't even hurt, it simply made her so furious she was numb.

"Yes, and I know now that it's a horrible thing to do, but please understand that ever since I first saw you, I have not been able to stop thinking about you, you are the only one..."

"Don't. You know what, Charles, you're a liar. And a bad one, too. You couldn't possible have loved me when you saw me, I almost killed you. As for me, and as for these ridiculous clothes I wore to try and impress you... I feel dirty. I feel disgusting, and I feel used" Talia said it all with a snare, an expression of ultimate horror, punctuated by two swift kicks that sent her heels flying to the other end of the room. "To think I wanted to share a bed with you, and to think I came here to try and prove I was good enough for the Shelby heir. But you know what? Fuck you, Charles Shelby. Fuck you, and your arrogance and your horrible manners. Fuck your mansion, and fuck your comfort. You disgust me. Maybe if you ever had sex, you'd be forced to grow a pair of balls. But now I see why you haven't, it's because no one could possible come face to face with you and want anything to do with you. You're a mess"

Without saying one more word, Talia Solomons exited the room, leaving her shoes behind, not caring that she was barefoot, or that the other guests would see the state she was in. She wouldn't cry, he didn't deserve to have that effect on her, but she sure as hell could storm off the Shelby mansion and never return, leaving Ollie to deal with that son of a bitch.

"Talia..." she vaguely heard Birdie say, and it almost made her stop in her tracks.But it wasn't enough. Nothing would be, really. 

"Thank you, for everything. Dinner was delicious" Talia replied, not stopping until she found her car. Unfortunately, Birdie decided to follow, and dragged Karl along.

"Talia, what did Charles say?" Karl asked, ditching his cigar quickly.

"He didn't need to say anything, now did he? You saw the way he treated me, you saw him laughing. And then he has the nerve to pull me aside, and throw what I did in my face? Throw what I escaped from in my face? He admitted he only acted the way he did tonight because he was convinced I was married, and because he couldn't fuck me, he deamed me worthless of respect and basic manners. See, I might've been and done everything that newspaper said I was and did, but it was justified. I did it, I did it all, and I am proud of it, because I fought, for something bigger than myself. I only came here to spare my parents the pain of losing me to a mass grave. But your cousin, from his high horse, saw me as one of two things, depending only of how I may be of service to him. And god damn it. To think that the dozens of men I killed weren't a deterrent, but the rumour that I was unavailable was enough to make him laugh at me, in front of business partners. You really... England really does do a number on you, doesn't it? Or is it just him?" Talia asked, unable to even do as much as breathe. Those two had nothing to do with it, did they? Why was she telling them everything, why was she even still within the Shelby property?

"It was me who showed him the paper. It's my fault" Karl admitted, kicking himself, and planning on kicking Charles.

"No, it's really not. You're family, you wanted him to proceed with caution. See, I am even willing to bet that you told him to ask me the truth before passing judgement. But he didn't. And that's on him. And like I said to him, my being here, with this dress and this makeup, and this hair? That's on me. That's on me for ever thinking that man would treat me fairly"

Ollie arrived then, and the conversation was cut off. The two cousins were left behind as the car advanced into the road outside the property, and then disappeared in the distance. From behind them, the sound of hurried steps, and heavy breathing; Charles had tried to run after her, he'd tried to arrive on time, to do whatever he had thought would fix the situation. But he'd been late.

"Is she..."

"Come on, let's go inside" Birdie said, in a harsher tone than her usual, taking Charlie by the arm and trying to pull him in the direction of the house. But instead of moving with her, his legs gave in from under him, and he collapsed on the ground, unable to get up, two rivers falling from his eyes, in a display of grief and penance like none of them had seen before.

"I am so sorry... so, so sorry..." he said, inbetween sobs, his hands concealing his face. "So sorry, so sorry..."

"You do know we love you, cousin. But this is your fault. And don't expect either of us to console you, or talk about the quantity of other fish in the sea" Birdie affirmed, stern, but fair. "This is on you, and I don't mean losing her; I mean hurting a girl who has been through a lot, and who was a guest at your house, at your table. You had absolutely no right"

"Agreed" Karl stated. "I played my part in it, for which I have been forgiven, even if I cannot forgive myself. But here you are, huh? We're on the same boat, we are both unimaginable assholes, and we deserve to die alone for it"

Birdie looked up at Karl, and placed a small hand on his arm. She had always felt that everyone had their match, and once the match was found, togetherness and happiness were inevitable. But in this situation, the matches had fallen through, and none of them would end in happiness: Charles and Talia, made for each other, perhaps conceived for each other, would never speak again due to his arrogance and stupidity; Karl and Mary-Lou, meant to be, separated by snide remarks and hurtful rumours. The male Shelbies were cursed, she thought, to pay for the sins of their fathers and their kin, and condemned to live no lives, while others lived hundreds.


	10. Brink Pink (Interlude)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the interludes I always try and do, and it deals with Karl Thorne and Mary-Lou Thomas, who I alluded to in the last chapter. It's set a couple of years before the main events of this story.  
> This is also slightly NSFW!

Zoey Deutch as Mary-Lou Thomas!

The wind blowing outside was rabid, but necessary, as it had been the excuse for him not to allow her going back to the the staff building, where the maids, cooks, and other members of staff lived. Karl Thorne was not usually a man who worried, but he did worry about the sweet being he had in his arms, he cared about her so much. From the moment they'd bumped into each other, him with a glass of whisky and a cigar in hand, her with a heavy vacuum cleaner, that he'd cared about her.

"Sorry, miss" he'd muttered, bending over to pick up the heavy machine for her, not even looking at her twice. But then she looked up, right into his face, and it was the equivalent of the sun shining after a night of heavy rain. She was bright, she was light, she was beautiful, and most of all, she had tears in her eyes. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

"I'm so sorry, sir, no, no, I'm just fine" she replied, wiping her face and grabbing the vacuum cleaner.

"Hm. Alright then" Karl said, going about his business, looking back at the maid, who was fussing about with the electrical chord on the damn vacuum. It was a little too much, to see a small figure dealing with what was obviously a troublesome piece of equipment. So he took it upon himself to go back to her, and pick up the thing, before turning back to the maid. "Where?"

"The uhm... the study. Mr. Karl Thorne's study. Do you know where that is?" she asked, looking around, as if there was a map hiding on the walls.

"Ah, well, yes. Yes, I do. Come along" he replied, speaking and holding the cigar inbetween his lips at the same time. He took a few steps forward, to make sure the newcomer was following him, and finding that indeed she was, he trotted along to his own place of work, in the west wing of the mansion. Having arrived, he put the vacuum down, and opened the door for the maid, who entered the room so hesitantly one would expect there to be an explosive device. Seeing nothing of the sort, Karl took himself, his whisky, and his cigar to his desk, and plopped down on his chair, feeling the entirety of a day's work on his back. But instead of plugging in the vacuum and cleaning, the strange human being stood in the middle of the carpet, staring at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure you're feeling well?"

"I... well, yes, but I did not know... this was supposed to be empty. I didn't mean to come and disturb your work"

"You are not disturbing my work, miss, and I hope not to disturb yours. Watching you just stand there like you're lost is making me severely unconfortable" Karl said, making the girl bite her lip, obviously trying not to break down in tears yet again. He took a deep breath and rolled his eyes before making a small course correction. "Are you new here?"

"Yes, sir"

"Hm. And what's your name?"

"Mary-Lou, sir" 

"Hm. Miss Mary-Lou, my name is Karl Thorne and I am not going to start yelling at you; however, the housekeeper might. So it would be in your best interest to at least turn the vacuum on" Karl stated, making the scared girl even more scared; but at least she went to plug in the thing, and started vacuuming. Her presence, however, was not great for his focus, and he found himself staring at her more than a couple of times, and for long periods as well. Moreover, each time he did, she was still crying, silently, but obviously. Why, he didn't know, but it made him get up and turn the vacuum off, bringing silence back. "You are crying, and I would like to know the reason. Is it me? Is it the house? Is it the housekeeper?"

"No, sir. I'm sorry, sir. It's... it's actually my family, sir. I had never been away from them, and it's now been two weeks since I've seen them" Mary-Lou confessed, rubbing her eyes with her uniform sleeve.

"Hm. That sounds difficult" Karl replied, not knowing exactly what to say, or what to do. What was the normal procedure for homesickness? "Would you like some tea?"

From then on, and every time she visited his study to clean, or to do some errands, they talked. Mary-Lou Thomas, her name was, turned out to be lively and hard-working; the homesickness soon gave away to a quick smile and true dedication to her work. She spoke of her home, of her brothers and sisters, her parents, the parks in her hometown, their football team, everything and anything. Karl didn't even ask any questions, he just listened to her, just listened to what she had to say. The moments she was there with him were the only ones when he didn't think of work.

Months went by, but eventually, and in the most natural manner, he fell in love with her, and her with him. They'd shared a quick kiss right by the door the first time, for fear that someone might come around the corner and see what was going on. The second time around, Mary-Lou herself slipped a note under the study's door, asking him to meet her outside the staff building, once she was done for the night, at eleven p.m. Sure enough, Karl trotted along to the back of the propriety, and kissed her under the peartree that grew there, counting on it to hide them from the rest of the people who lived nearby.

The last time they'd seen each other had been that night, the one with the dangerous gushes of wind, the same night they'd slept together, the first night Mary-Lou Thomas ever spent in a bed bigger than her already small frame. All the confort in the world, the arms of the man she loved around her, it all seemed like a dream, as it had been a dream to love and be loved so sweetly, so deeply, so selflessly. But the next day, she'd gotten up without Karl realising, and had disappeared, never to be seen again. The housekeeper, worried about his soul, his reputation, or whatever it was, had seen the girl leave his room in the early morning, and had dismissed her on the spot, begging her to go back to her native Wales, and never show up in that house again.

Karl Thorne had never been the same since then; he'd gone to fucking Wales himself, he'd gone there to look for her, as the stupid housekeeper did not even give him an address. But no, nothing. Upon coming back, he'd gone straight to his cousin Bunny, who knew all the gossip in all of Birmingham.

"Well, someone saw you two kissing... and they went and told everyone. So some rumours started going around that you and her... that she was trying to go after your money, and your status" Bunny confessed, looking down at the ground. She would eventually have to admit that she was one of the people who shared that opinion, without ever meeting Mary-Lou herself.

"Hm. Well. That's not true. And people would be better off minding their own business" he replied, locking himself in his study, doing the books for three days straight before emerging to grab more cigars.

Within the group of cousins, they had known better than to speak of Mary-Lou Thomas. She was the only taboo topic. Karl himself had only admitted to himself she was gone half a year after she was let go. And now, almost two years later, he was every bit as in love with her as he had been that night.


	11. Candy Apple Red

Charles had spent the last few weeks working in the gin distillery. He carried ingredients, placed them in vats, went to get water, everything. He listened to instructions, he learned, and took a good dose of humbling. He didn't call the shots, he was nothing but a worker, and the lowest of the low as well, because he knew nothing of the craft. He had to clean, to disinfect, everything and anything that required attention. It never even crossed his mind to complain about any of the tasks. It was penitence, and Charles Shelby would carry on doing it for as long as it took for him to feel like he had at least gotten on the right path to redeem himself, to better himself. 

Talia kept going with what she had to do with her business, exchanging correspondence with the _maquis_ all over Europe, and with her parents in Spain. The incident at the Shelby dinner party was left out of all conversations, in an effort to forget everything, to not even be reminded of it when she went to bed, and the awful silence took over her head, showing her replays of the worst moments of her life. In comparison to hanging, facing a firing squad, sleeping on the ground with impending doom right over her head, a dinner fiasco wasn't that big of a deal. But fuck, it insisted on finding its way back into her head. 

* * *

The important part was that the events that followed would change the course of their story, and that of their families. First, it was Birdie's turn. 

"Miss Shelby... Miss Birdie, there is a young man waiting for you at the front door. His name is Henry Miller, should I send him in?"

"Yes, yes please. I'll see him in my study" Birdie replied, jumping to her feet, and joyfully walking to the foyer. She knew he'd be coming, but she'd made a point of acting as if nothing was changing, as if everything would stay the same after his visit. 

"Birdie!" Henry called out, as soon as she came into his line of sight. Without caring about appearances, she threw herself into his arms, giggling when he spun her around. Once they'd met Karl had done due dilligence on the kid, and on his two fathers. They went by the name Miller, and had built a good amount of money and success in Ireland,with a now world-renowned boxing gym. As for Henry himself, he was a kid who had lost his family at age 8, and, with the only alternative being an orphanage, the Millers took him in and raised him as their own. The young man had always wanted to be a doctor, and had been able to go to Cambridge to do just that, with very good results. The only think Birdie did not know was that Charles, Karl, Billy, her own two fathers and her mother had met with the youth, several weeks into their exchange of correspondence. 

"I couldn't wait to see you, I really couldn't. I finished exams this morning and came here as soon as the bell rung. Birdie, I'm done. I'm a doctor, I can start practicing right now. It's finished, I'm finished" Henry informed, a smile the size of the world growing on his handsome features. He was so madly in love with that girl he didn't even know how to put it into words. They'd written letters, they'd talked on the phone, but he still hadn't found the right away to tell her. 

"Henry, are you serious? You're done, you really are done? You don't have to go back to Cambridge, you can stay here?"

"Yes, yes, your cousin Charles got me a job at the hospital down in Birmingham, and my parents got me an apartment downtown as a graduation gift. Birdie, I'm here to stay, I'm not going anywhere" Henry informed, seeing the tears of joy he was crying fall down her cheeks too. "I mean, unless you don't want me to..."

"What? Of course I want to, silly! It's all we talked about, all we wrote about!" she remembered, each and every letter kept in a drawer in her desk, safe and sound, for her to read when she was lonely and waiting for the next one to arrive. 

"Yes, I know, but I was scared you'd change your mind, scared you would find someone else" Henry admitted, taking her two hands, almost crying harder from the simple contact with his worshipped muse, the protagonist of his dreams. 

"What? Henry, you cannot possibly be serious. We agreed to give us a try, even with the distance, and I kept my word. There wasn't, there isn't anyone else. I love you, Henry, not someone else" she retorted, almost sounding insulted. She always kept her word, she always kept every single promise she made. And no promise was more important than the one she had made Henry: that they would try a relationship, even with the distance, until he graduated and moved to Birmingham. 

"And I love you, Birdie. More than a man of science could ever hope to put into words. I have loved you ever since we met, and I didn't want to wait one more day to do this" Henry still had her hands in his, but now he was kneeling, he was... getting down on one knee? In the middle of the foyer? 

"Henry, are you... oh my god" was all she could say, when he truly was on one knee, and holding a diamond ring, nonetheless. 

"Yes, I am. Birdie Pollyanna, I adore you, I love you, and I promise to respect and take care of you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?" he asked, beaming with joy and antecipation. The object of his proposal was just as happy, crying so hard she sobbed, only able to nod her head yes. 

"That a yes, Bird?" it was Charles' voice, coming from the door, that made her regain the power of speech, to make her able to shout it from the rooftops. 

"A million times yes, yes, of course" Birdie confirmed, as her fiancé got up from the floor and placed the ring on her finger, before picking her up again and hugging her so tightly she stopped crying. Unfortunately, that was also when the emotion got the better of her, making the oldest of the Shelby girls fall victim to one of her usual seizures, this one so strong an ambulance had to be called. 

And Birdie was never the same. 


	12. Columbia Blue

Then, it came time for Karl Thorne to receive a life-changing visit, six full months after the dinner party that set the events in motion. 

There was a terrible storm outside. The windows themselves vibrated under the extreme stress and pressure, while the trees surrounding the manor almost bent from the force of the elements. Having that in mind, it was insane to even think about going outside, let alone to go knocking on someone else's door. Nevertheless, someone did just that, scaring the housekeeper half to death, and forcing the buttler to a supernatural effort to open the door, and allow the unexpected guest inside. 

"And who should I announce?" mr. Johnson enquired, observing carefully as the strange figure removed the hood of her heavy cloak, and looked around, completely soaking wet, and visibly exhausted. 

"My name is..." but the head housekeeper got to her first, taking her by the arm and throwing her against the door. 

"I told you to go away, and STAY away. Did you not listen to me, you horrible pest? Stay far away from this house" mrs. Camper said, in a low but menacing voice. "We know exactly what you are, and none of these men will fall for your tricks again. Go. Now"

"Mrs. Camper? Can you please explain to me why you are behaving like this? What did that person ever do to you?" to mrs. Camper's delight, it wasn't Karl Thorne, it was just Kitty, the murderer, the stupid, wreckless one. She wouldn't know the gold digger, but she would probably know the rumours, and agree with that treatment. 

"This person was banished from this house plenty of time ago. And now, it's time for her to leave, for good" the governess stated, trying to get the door open, but failing to move it due to the fact the girl's body was in the way. She hadn't even let out a sound, which Kitty found baffling: she'd seen the way the stern governess had kicked her, and it had to hurt. 

"Mrs. Camper, that's enough. You're dismissed. Mr. Johnson, please help me out here" Kitty asked, seeing the housekeeper walk away, a look of disgust on her face. Mr. Johnson, who was a bit more human, helped Kitty get the person to her feet, as best as she could. The visitor was a woman, a young, but exhausted woman, with deep bags under her eyes, and mud on her face. In fact, she was completely covered in mud, probably from the outside conditions. She was also freezing, and trembling, despite an obvious effort not to. "Are you looking for someone? Do you know someone around here?"

"I do, miss, yes. You probably don't remember me, but I used to work here, about three years ago. My name is Mary-Lou Thomas" 

Well, shit. Shit. Mary-Lou? That was Karl's Mary-Lou? Kitty had always assumed her cousin liked posh women, and this poor girl was anything but. Whatever had happened, it seemed serious, judging by mrs. Camper's reaction. 

"Oh. Yes, I... Mary-Lou, I... I need to tell you that mrs. Camper painted you in a terrible light when she informed my cousins of your dismissal. Do I have any reason to be suspicious of you?" Kitty asked, trying to look older than she really was. But there was no need, she realised: Mary-Lou didn't seem to be alive, let alone to be a gold digger. It was so obvious she didn't have a penny to her name, and three years was more than enough for her to move on from Karl to another victim, if that was her game. 

"Miss, I didn't even want to come here. I never wanted to come back, I stayed away for as long as I could. But I have something that belongs to... to your family, and I'm sorry it took me so long to return it, but I had to gather some money for the trip" Mary-Lou stated, reaching into her pocket and retrieving a gold bracelet, simple, yet delicate. 

"That is... very kind of you. If you didn't want to come, you could've just mailed it, you know" Kitty suggested, taking the bracelet, that didn't look familiar. 

"No, miss, I can't read and I can't write, miss. I couldn't just send a letter" Mary-Lou admitted, causing Kitty's heart to break into a million pieces. She couldn't even imagine what that girl had gone through, to need three years to have money for a trip, just to return an old bracelet. Judging by her state, she could've used the money from the sale of the gold to at least buy something to eat, or get somewhere to stay for a night. But no, she hadn't sold the bracelet, she'd held on to it, and made the painstaking voyage to Birmingham, to return it to Karl. 

"Mary-Lou, you need to come with me. Trust me, you need to... just come with me. We'll get you cleaned up and warm" Kitty offered, taking the girl by the hand, but she didn't move an inch. 

"Miss, that is too kind, but I've already done what I came here to do. I am not welcomed in your house, and neither should I be. Thank you, for not kicking me out, and listening to me. But I need to go now. Thank you" Mary-Lou Thomas bit her lip all the while, her body trembling violently, from either cold or fear. 

Kitty didn't have it in her to insist; it was obvious ms. Thomas was not comfortable in that house, and Kitty thought she knew why. It would be torture, more than help, to keep her there, to make her stay there any longer. With a heavy heart, she witnessed as Mary-Lou put on the cloak, and wrapped it as best as she could around her body before facing the storm again, each gush of wind making her almost fall to the floor.

Suddenly, an idea came to her. It forced her to run at full speed, scaring half the staff, until she reached Karl's study. Thankfully, he was still there, working late as per usual. 

"Karl. Do you know this bracelet?" Kitty asked, holding up the piece of jewelery for him to see. At first, he just looked at it with indifference. But then, his pupils went wide, and, without a word, Karl Thorne got up, snatched the bracelet from his cousin, and ran, faster than Kitty had ever seen anyone run before. She tried to keep up, but could only catch him in the foyer, looking around for a coat, but forgetting it about it when he found none. Dressed in a cotton shirt and a pair of casual slacks, he was in no way shape or form ready to face the foul tempest, but it didn't seem to matter. 

And it really didn't. The sight of that bracelet, the bracelet he had gotten Mary-Lou Thomas himself, years ago, made him jump back into gear, made him live again. As he was running outside, not even the wind affected him; the only thing that mattered was the struggling figure near the gate, the small figure he would know anywhere in the world, no matter how much time went by. 

"Lou!" he called out, but the wind swallowed his plea, and she kept fighting her way through the rain and thunder. "Lou, it's me, please" he repeated, this time closer to her. Mary-Lou thought she'd heard his voice, but her brain talked her into believing it was a mirage, that the wind was playing tricks on her. 

Once he got to her and scooped her into his arms, Karl Thorne could once again breathe freely, his lungs engulfing air greedily. She was there, Lou, his Lou, the love of his life, the only girl he could ever want. But she didn't react, she didn't say anything at all. In his happiness, he hadn't realised she wasn't looking at him, her chest wasn't moving, she hadn't even been startled by someone picking her up out of the blue. 

And Karl was never the same. 


	13. English Violet

"Do I need to say it? Or do you know it already?" Henry asked, looking at Karl, and then at Charlie. The room was kept in absolute silence, and at a temperature to rival his native St. Lucia. 

"Say it" Karl demanded, looking down at the bed. Mary-Lou had been there for two weeks, and had yet to give them any sign of life. Her heartbeat was like a whisper, and much of her body was still freezing cold, even under the blankets, and within a climatised room. She could breathe on her own, but that was about it for the good news. Henry had pratically moved to the manor to keep a close eye on her, but it seemed to be as good as nothing. She didn't react to the heat, to antibiotics, nothing. 

"She won't survive, Karl. That's why the hospital sent her here. They knew it was better to... than there" Henry informed, causing a shiver to go down Charles' spine. He avoided looking at Karl, who surely was suffering unspeakably. To get his love back, only to watch her die... it seemed too cruel. It was too cruel. 

"She can breathe, can't she? You said it would never happen, and yet, here we are" Karl replied, his voice a mere growl, as if he was threatening Henry. 

"Karl, patients often show signs of recovery right before..." Henry tried to say it, he tried to be a doctor, he tried to distance himself. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't, not that time. 

"Say it" the oldest cousin asked, threatening yet again. 

"She's dying. And I reckon there is nothing to be done about it, except for praying" Henry convinced himself to come out and say it, as much as he hated it.

"Are you sure? Nothing at all? Is there a specialist we could call, someone, anyone at all? There has to be something, like Karl said, she's breathing on her own, that's a good thing" Charles said, as desperate as he reckoned Karl should be, as Henry had been when Birdie was in the hospital, recovering from her latest episode. 

"Shelby, we have tried everything. She was probably already very sick when she arrived, and that's why the cold affected her like this. I reckon she would have died even if we were in the middle of the summer" 

That was it: Karl lost his composure, grabbed a nearby bowl, and sent it crashing against the opposite wall. Next, a lamp, and then his own fists, smashing repeatedly against the stone, making him bleed, and hiss in pain. But it didn't matter one bit, the pain he felt in his knuckles was nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the guilt he felt. He should've never let her leave the bed, he sould never have kissed her, he should never have failed when searching for her, he should never have given the the bracelet, he should never have been born. Henry and Charles were eventually able to grab him and make him stop, but not without extreme effort. 

"Keep it together man, please. Not in front of her. Keep it together. Calm down, lad. There you go, calm down" Charles whispered, pinning Karl to the ground. 

"What's going on?" 

It wasn't Birdie, it wasn't Bunny, it wasn't Kitty. It was a breathy, raspy, weak voice, but a woman's voice for sure. 

"Karl?"

Mary-Lou. Back from the dead.


	14. Harvest Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW!

There were new colours in that house, as the Spring approached. The flowers, the sun, even the curtains were different, showing the changing of the seasons beautifully. It was going to be a different year, a different everything.

Birdie had left the manor, to move into the apartment she shared with Henry. Their wedding date was in a couple of months, and it meant they could now start their life together, without any fear of being separated. 

Likewise, Karl Thorne, the eternal bachelor after the Prudence business, was planning his own wedding, to ms. Mary-Lou Thomas. It was the talk of the town, much more than the marriage of Birdie Shelby to Henry Miller. The rumours about the returning gold digger ran wilder than ever, in every mouth, in every pub, in every bit of Birmingham. It got to the point that she couldn't leave the house without being yelled at, pushed and shoved. 

"Playing the long game ended up paying off" mrs. Camper said, looking around the pub to make sure every single patron listened to her. Needless to say, she had been fired the moment Karl re-entered the home, with Lou in his arms, both soaking wet. "The little bitch got what she wanted: a rich man, putting a ring on her disgusting little finger"

Mrs. Camper had four daughters, whom she had raised dotingly. Of course, they were the most beautiful girls in the entire world; they had their manners, they could read, and write their names; they could even go to pubs like the Garrison and get one or two looks from the men there. So why was it that Karl Thorne, handsome, broody, and filthy rich, had fallen for the first maid he'd laid eyes on, instead of her own daughters, whom she had paraded around the Shelby manor at any possible chance?

"Mrs. Camper, you truly and honestly are one of the biggest cunts of this century, aren't you? And mind you, it's not even half way through" the booming voice came from the back of the public house, which happened to be the Garrison. Needless to say, all of Small Heath was there every night, and it was not the best place to carry out any conversation about the Shelby family. Mrs. Camper had considered that, but she had arrived to the stupid conclusion that what she had to say, fell under the umbrella of trying to defend the Shelbies. 

"I beg your pardon?" mrs. Camper asked, surveying the room to try and find the source of the biting comment. 

"You might want to start begging, then" Karl stated, approaching the woman with a glass in one hand, the other in his pocket. "Listen to me: keep me, my fiancé, and my family, out of your mouth. Boys, if you'd please" 

The former Shelby manor governess found herself being carried without cerimony to the exterior, and to a back alley nearby. Mrs. Camper was helpless against the five men, who threw her against the wall and proceeded to kick her until she was unconcious. 

"Stop talking about my wife. Or there will be more where this came from" Karl simply said, kneeling to level with her, her eyes barely open, a string of blood falling from her mouth. "By order of the Peaky fucking Blinders"

"Fucking hell, cousin. I'd never heard you say that, mate" Billy flicked the match he used to light his cigarrette with a smirk. 

"And I'd never seen you awake at five in the afternoon, but there's a first time for everything" Karl replied, rising to full height again, accepting the flame his cousin offered to light his pipe. 

"That's enough, boys. Let's go" Billy ordered, dragging on the cigar and turning his back, accompanying his cousin as they walked away. 

"Drinks on me, cousin. Thank you for this" 

"Anytime. I'm a sucker for love, what can I say" Billy Shelby informed, a smirk that made him look just like his father on his face. 

* * *

"Feel free to go to town again, my love. She won't have people bothering you anymore"

"Oh. Well, that's... how did that happen?" Mary-Lou asked, as she tidied Karl's study, picking up books and notebooks, and putting them back on their usual places. 

"Billy might've helped me a little. He's influential in... Birmingham" Karl said, not knowing what else to say about the whole thing. He didn't know how much Lou knew about what Billy was known for in the vicinity, which was less as a club manager, and more as a gang leader. 

"That's very sweet of you, thank you" she replied, none the wiser regarding their methods. 

Karl smiled, observing as his soon-to-be-bride fussed around with one of his notebooks. He had tried to stop her in the past, but tidying up seemed to make her happy, and kept her occupied while she was at the mansion. The rest of the time, she spent at the Grace Shelby foundation, with the children there. 

"Why are you staring at me?" Lou asked, laughing. She loved the way he sat on the edge of his desk, glass in hand, sometimes with the oakwood pipe between his teeth, looking at her wih those icy blue eyes. The suit helped, it was dapper, made him look every inch the gentleman she knew he was. 

"I just like looking at you. Makes me realise how lucky I am" he replied, smirking a bit. "You know, mrs. Camper can fuck right off. As for you and me..." Karl approached her, step by step, after leaving his glass on the table. His arms snaked around her torso, turning her to him, and placing a soft kiss on her lips, then another on her neck. 

"What about us?" 

"I fully intend to prove you that I'm the one who should be accused of gold digging" was the reply, accompanied by a swift pick up and a short walk to the desk. 

"Karl, what are you doing? Karl, the door... oh my god" Lou moaned, her feet dangling off the desk, and her fiancé kneeling in front of her, kissing her thighs, and then hiking up to her womanhood, looking up at her the same devilish smirk on his lips, teasing, testing, silently telling her that the open door was of no consequence, it didn't matter one bit. What did matter was the honey-sweet liquid oozing out of her, the hands on his hair, the danger of getting caught at any time. And then her moans, the whimpers... 

"I rather have this on our wedding day than cake" Karl muttered, looking up again, getting up to kiss Lou on the lips, his fingers replacing his mouth, finding their way into her body, making her back arch, pushing her chest into his.

"You are... that feels..." Lou did try to finish a sentence, but every time she thought she could, Karl's fingers moved faster, deeper, or hooked slightly, forcing her to halt her speech. 

"Good?" he asked, kissing her lips, and then her neck. Kaarl Thorne was a man of cold blood, and he had this ability to maintain it while pleasuring a woman. With Prudence, it was easy, given that he really had no interest in her, and fucked her while under the influence of several drugs, and some alcohol, too. With Lou, it was completely different: her presence drove him crazy, her pleasure threatened to reduce him to the common denominator of all mammals. However, he kept his cool simply so that he could keep his wits about him, and do his best to satisfy her. 

"Amazing" Lou replied, her hands bunching up his suit jacket. "Karl..." she pleaded, looking up at his eyes through half-closed eyelids. She looked so beautiful like that, and he did have to admit that having his raging erection rubbing against her thigh as he moved his fingers was getting him to the brink of sanity. 

"Yeah, yeah, a second, my love" Karl asked, fumbling with his belt, but steadying them enough to undo the rest of it, pulling them down just enough along with his underwear. Lou herself decided to ignore her numb legs and ran her own knickers down her legs, throwing them under the desk to make it all easier. She was breathing heavily, the only thing she could see was her fiancé, the most amazing men she knew, undoing his clothes to better get to her. He was everything, and she needed him to bury his manhood inside her so deep she forgot what it was like to be without it. 

"I love you. So much" Lou whimpered, when she got exactly what she had wished for. Karl didn't even let her do any of the work, his whole body moving into her, with wreckless, but caring, abandon. 

"I love you, too. So much, Lou, so fucking much. I'd do anything for you. Anything" Karl replied, his hands holding her face, their eyes focused only on each other. 

That was the truth, the God honest truth, but he sure as hell wished she didn't find out just how far he went. 


	15. Ivory

Spring rolled around, and so did the weddings. Birdie went first, as she was the first one to get engaged. Her day started at five in the morning, when her two sisters woke her up, insisting she bathe and had breakfast, so that they could start on her makeup, hair, and final touches on the dress. 

"I don't know why I need to be awake this early, the cerimony is at midday, we have plenty of time" the bride complained at 6 a.m., her eyes barely open. Kitty was making sure the veil was pristine, while Bunny was laying out all of her cosmetics on the vanity. They'd taken over the main bedroom at the Shelby manor, lent by Charlie for the bridal party, while Henry and his best men occupied two of the guest bedrooms. The wedding would be held in church, but the reception would be at the manor, where there was enough space for everyone. 

"It's because you need to look presentable, for once" Bunny joked, causing Birdie to throw a hairbrush at her. "You look beautiful, you really do. I can't believe you're getting married. It's ruly surreal. I can't wait to see daddy walking you down the aisle"

"Me either" Kitty giggled, checking the train on the dress, and considering it to be in good condition. She would rather be caught dead than letting her beloved older sister walk down the aisle looking like crap. She was Birmingham royalty, and she would look like it. "You know who I can't wait to see? Talia Berg"

"Oh crap, I forgot she was coming. Charlie is going to be pissed" Bunny confessed, looking down at her sister's hair and taking out some hairpins. "Is your hair ever going to have some volume? Damn, this is so hard"

"I honestly don't know, but don't fret about it, I'll wear the veil over it anyways" Birdie dismissed, looking in the mirror, as she bit her lip. She had invited Talia in an effort to make her and Charles reconcile. Maybe they wouldn't be in the same position she was with Henry, but they could at least try to be friends. Charlie had changed quite a bit since the last time they'd seen each other, and was working hard on becoming a better man. "See, I don't think he'll be pissed. And if he is, he'll need to get over it. It's my wedding, he's my cousin, and she's my friend, and our business partner. Besides, it was very kind of her to accept the invitation, knowing she'd have to see the guy who pretty much insulted her last time they were in the same room"

"I didn't know you two were close. You and Talia, I mean" Kitty said, going to help Bunny deal with their sister's hair. 

"I wouldn't say we're best friends, but since the whole deal with Charles, I'm the one who calls her or who she calls when something is needed. And we talk a bit each time, I guess. She really is a sweet lass, she's got a good heart. She'd be so good for our cousin" Birdie sighed, pretty much sure she was hoping for the impossible. But it was her specialty, after all; she'd invited Talia on account of their friendship, but also to give the Spaniard and Charles another shot, to give Charles a shot to show he'd changed his way, after realising how ignorant he'd been. 

"She would... and imagine how great it'd be to have her in our family; it'd be a circus" Bunny laughed, fussing about with a piece of hair. "Mary-Lou is the sweetest girl in the world, and I love her dearly. But she's so quiet and so nice. Talia would bring some fun to the dinner table"

"And Henry is so literal and pratical, he doesn't have that way she does of breathing life into a room" Kitty added, knowing very well nothing would sway Birdie's opinion of her groom, whom she loved so much it was almost sickening. "Cousin Charles is in desperate need of a Spanish wife. He needs someone to shake him up, show him that life is not only business and cigars"

"They're not on speaking terms, though" Bunny admitted, looking at her sister in the mirror, as she got started on her makeup. "I think I'm going for simple but glamorous. What do you think?"

"Whatever you think is fine, is fine with me" Birdie dismissed, looking down at the vanity. She was absolutely sure of what she was about to do, so that didn't occupy her mind; her sisters were taken care of, as were their parents, and the rest of the family. There would be food and drink, people would be comfortable in the church, and she was pretty sure Henry wouldn't run away. So her only concern was the Talia-Charles situation. There had to be a way to fix things. Karl and Lou were a strange case, but everything had worked on in the end, just like she'd hoped. If those two had found their way back to each other, why couldn't Charlie and Talia? "Do you think there's something we could do? For them?"

"I dont't know, sweetie. I wish I had a plan, or an idea, or anything" Bunny whispered, completely focused on lining her sister's eyes with eyeliner. 

"Me too" Kitty agreed, observing what Bunnyw as doing, trying to learn a thing or two from her more glamorous sister. "Maybe they could sit side-by-side?"

"I couldn't risk it... besides, he's in the family table, and she's with Ollie Berg and some other business partners" Birdie informed, biting her lip. "I'll think of something"

* * *

"Hey. Look at me, lad. You'll be fine. Stop shaking"

"Dad, I can't. What if she... what if Birdie changed her mind? Can you please go ask someone if she's coming?" Henry was positively shaking, and his father Bonnie couldn't help but laugh. Of course Birdie was coming, she wouldn't skip out on her own wedding. Besides, Bonnie Gold knew just how in love that girl and his son were, and there was no chance in hell of either of them to not come. 

"She's getting ready. That's all, Henry. Deep breaths" Michael Gray added, looking at his son, and at his partner, with all the pride in the whole wide world. He couldn't love them both more, this moment was more than he could've ever dreamed of. It almost made him jealous, as he wasn't able to walk down the aisle with the man he loved; but Henry could, and Michael couldn't ever wish for anything other than the best for his boy. 

"I love you, I love you both so much" Henry said, as the last guests took their sits, and his parents motioned to do the same. 

"And we love you" Bonnie replied, hugging his son, and waiting for Michael to do the same before they took their seats near the altar, next to Luna Shelby. 

"Where's the other father of the bride?" Michael asked, looking around, and seeing Isaiah's father, but not the man himself. There were so many people there he couldn't even see the back of the church. Not only were the Shelbies influential, but Birdie was also very well-liked in the community, meaning the guest list was a bit overwhelming. 

"He's officiating, so he's in the back, getting everything ready. Finn is with Birdie, and they should be here soon" Luna replied to the couple, smiling just as wide as the both of them were. "Who'd have thought that we'd be seating in a church, twenty years later, seeing our kids getting married?"

"Not me, I thought I'd be dead long ago" Bonnie joked, earning a kick from Michael. "Kinda wish we had done the same" he added, looking at Michael and taking his hand discretely. 

"Me too. Maybe one day" Michael wished, looking at the entrance, and wishing Birdie arrived before Henry shit himself. "Speaking of which, when is the next wedding?"

"You mean Karl and Mary-Lou? In three months, actually. Another joyous occasion for this family, and another oportunity for me to try and fly under the radar when someone asks me about the ethnicity of my second daughter" Luna laughed, and so did Bonnie and Michael. They knew very well who Bunny's father was, and he wasn't the man who would be giving the bride away in that beautiful Spring morning, but rather the man officiating the cerimony. 

"Oh, I can imagine. Same with us, when someone asks what we are to Henry" Michael agreed, lowering his voice a bit. "I just tell people he's my son, and that Bonnie is my valet"

"Fuck off, Gray. If you say that, I'll punch you in the mouth" Bonnie replied, with a good-humoured punch to his partner's arm. "I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough for what you did for us. Truly, Luna. I owe you my life"

"Don't mention it. We're kin, eh? Besides, you never said a word about Finn and Isaiah, and that is... oof. Another very dangerous secret to keep" the circus owner said, her voice lowering as well. In Birmingham, people did chat a bit about the Shelbies and their live-in best friend, and sometimes called Finn a cuckold, given the fact that his alledged daughter Bunny was obviously not his. But their union was still as strong as ever, and none of the three gave a single damn about the rumours going around. They had the life they wanted, and that was the only thing they cared about. 

The guests were now seated, and Isaiah had taken his place at the altar, giving Henry a reassuring look and a pat on the shoulder. The doors opened, and the softly played wedding march filled the church. Kitty had taken it upon herself to accompany her sister down the aisle with her own arrangement of the popular song, providing an aura of angelical glow to the beaming bride. Finn Shelby almost disappeared simply by standing next to a beauty so ethereal everyone gasped in varying degrees of loudness. Kitty went ahead, spreading flower petals down the aisle, only for her sister to step on them, eyes on the floor, relying on her father for guidance. She knew Henry would have his back to her, and she only wanted to see him when they were both at the altar. As for the father of the bride, he only had eyes for two people: Luna, tears in her eyes; and Isaiah, whose smile was bigger than ever. Their daughter, their Birdie, was getting married. As unconventional as their union was, they'd raised an amazing girl, who they were now giving away to an amazing man. If her marriage was half as happy as theirs, she'd be bound for a lifetime of bliss. 

* * *

"I, Birdie Pollyanna Shelby, take thee, Henry Rousseau Miller, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith and pledge myself to you"

"I, Henry Rousseau Miller, take thee, Birdie Pollyanna Shelby, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith and pledge myself to you."

The rings were exchanged, though their wearer's eyes were misty with tears, as were those of their guests. As simple as those bands were, they meant the world for the young couple, more than ready to start their life together. 

"Birdie and Henry, through their words today, have joined together in holy wedlock. Because they have exchanged their vows before God and these witnesses, have pledged their commitment each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by exchanging rings, I now pronounce that they are husband and wife. Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder. You may now kiss the bride" Isaiah Jesus pronounced those words, managing to keep his voice and emotions under control. Seeing his oldest daughter married, and marrying her himself, was a dream come true. Maybe she didn't have his features like Bunny did, but she was just as much his daughter as she was Finn's and Luna's. And it was that fact that made him shed a tear when Henry kissed the bride, sealing their union. 

The church erupted into cheers and clapping, as both bride and groom kissed shyly, wishing nothing more but to step out of the spotlight, and to go celebrate with their loved ones. Everyone seemed so happy, and they felt so happy themselves, the whole moment was etched into their minds, detail by detail, never to be forgotten. 


	16. Alabaster

"You know what would be in very good taste? You going to talk to Talia Berg. Take a glass of champagne, and talk to her" Karl insisted, when the party had moved to the mansion, and cocktails were being served to all of the guests. Henry and Birdie were occupied being congratulated by every single one of the people they'd invited, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. 

"Why would I do that? Why would I corner her like that? You know damn well she wants to punch me in the face, and going to talk to her when she has no choice but to be cordial would be in awful taste. Don't want to make her look at me on purpose" Charles replied, sipping on his own dose of the sparkling liquid. 

"You've been snorting cocaine, haven't you? Where's the Charles I know, who wanted to make her punch you in the nuts, to embarrass herself?" Karl asked, laughing at the awkward look on his cousin's face. It was a low blow to remind him of that unfortunate episode, but it was just banter. Karl knew how much Charlie had worked on improving himself, and he had done a wonderful job. He was no longer a snob, and had even attended some meetings of the Communist party, along with some meetings of the industry unions. Furthermore, he had taken up learning Spanish and bettering his French and his German, to keep up with news from all over Europe. 

"I'm serious, Karl. I'm not going to talk to her. Birdie has been the one talking to her, and I know that she prefers it that way" Charlie informed, looking over the guests, making sure everyone was well taken care of. "She does look... transcendental, though" he added, wondering whether there had been a woman half as beautiful as Talia Solomons. She was wearing a long dress again, her hair up in an elegant updo, and a hint of makeup that made her stunning eyes stand out. The red hue of her gown complemented her skin tone to perfection, and Charles Shelby was more in love with her than ever. 

"She does. Here's some champagne, go talk to her. At least say hello" Karl said, grabbing a glass from a nearby waiter, and handing it to his cousin. He'd also seen Talia eyeing Charles a couple of times, and she didn't seem too hostile; that was why he was being so adamant about them at least greeting each other, politely. 

"You really think I should?" Charles asked, taking the glass and giving Talia another look from a distance. She was talking to Kitty, who was making her laugh about something. Maybe it was Kitty's reassuring presence, or the own emotions that had gotten to his heart when he saw his beloved entering the church, but Karl had been able to convince him. Walking throught the crowd, kissing his aunt Ada on the cheek as he passed by her, and heading straight to Talia Solomons, before he lost his nerve.

"Oh, here he is! Charlie, come say hi" Kitty called, pulling him by the arm. She had been given some sparkling water, but had already stolen some champagne, which she seemed to be sipping as slowly as she could, the bitterness making her scrunch her nose. 

"Hi, how are you?" Charlie asked, smiling at the both of them, hoping that Kitty hadn't been talking about him with Talia. 

"Hey, how's it going?" Talia replied, managing a polite smile,hating Charlie just a bit for looking so damn handsome. She'd seen him in the church, and then again when he'd congratulated the bride and groom on their union. She had considered going up to him and trying to at least say something nice, such as "nice party" or "that's a well made suit", but had decided against it.

"I think my mom needs me, excuse me" Kitty said, giggling to herself and taking herself and her glass somewhere else, having accomplished her mission. 

"This is... quite a wedding" Talia ended up saying, to try and break the awkwardness that had come up between them. 

"Yes, they're uh... quite a couple" Charlie replied, searching for the lovebirds with his eyes, and finding them surrounded by Johnny Dogs and Charlie Strong. "I brought you this" he added, handing her the champagne glass, not knowing what else to do.

"Oh wow, thanks, mate" Talia took the glass and drank a bit, hoping the alcohol would tell her what to do, tell her what to say. But no, nothing; the silence still lingered between them. "Your uh... your cousin told me you've been working. In your distillery"

"Yeah, I have actually. It's been..."

"She also told me you've been going to union meetings" Talia interrupted, looking straight into Charlie's eyes, with an intensity that convinved him she was going to kick him in the balls, right in the middle of the wedding reception. 

"Also true, I wanted to know what the workers think of their bosses, and I wanted to know how to make my men's lives a bit better" Charlie informed, wondering what the hell he'd done wrong that time. 

"Equal pay?"

"Implemented"

"Paid time off?"

"A week a year"

"Sick days?"

"We even have health insurance now"

"Hm" Talia said, looking around, then down, and biting her lip. To his infinite surprise, she took his hand, and dragged him through the crowd. He had no idea of what she was looking for, but she seemed to find it in the library, where the noise from the party was almost reduced to nothing.

They got in, and she closed the door, before doing the absolute last thing Charles Shelby could have antecipated: she took his wrist, pushed him into the door, and kissed his lips. It wasn't just any kiss too, it was the kiss he had thought of nonstop for pretty much a year. It wasn't even just a peck, it wasn't a quick touch of the lips, like the one they shared so long ago. Kissing Talia Solomons, really kissing her, kissing her with every inch of his being, every single cell in his body, screaming for her, pleading for her, waiting for almost a year to see her again, to be with her, to simply be in the same room with her. Waiting for even that little, and getting so much was so insane it wasn't even funny. But not even Charles, floating on cloud nine, could stop the voice in his head asking "why, why, why", time after time, intruding on his moment, ruining that precious, precious event.

"Why?" he ended up asking, pulling away with difficulty, his lips still milimetres away from hers, not wanting to completely lose the kiss, her kiss, her scent, her sweetness, the floral aftertaste of her mouth. 

"I don't know. I don't know. But I... I've been trying so hard to wrap my head around the fact that I can't stop thinking about you, even after... I'm starting to think I overreacted, that you only confronted me with that photo because I clearly tried to seduce you, and you thought I was an adulterer or something of the sort. See, I don't... how do I say it... _ai, puta mierda_..."

"No, you didn't. You didn't overreact, you were absolutely within your right to react the way you did. I was an asshole. And I don't hope to ever be forgiven, because I don't deserve to be. I never even considered being your friend again, or talking to you. You were right, you were absolutely right, I was a snob, and I was arrogant, and the way I treated you was beyond disgusting. And I want you to know that... that you opened my eyes" Charlie said, taking her hands and holding them up to his chest. "I never, in my life, ever thought I would be in my library, with you, telling you this, after we just kissed. Because I didn't do it to get you back, I didn't do it to get you to look at me again. I did it because I was an asshole, and I have way too many people depending on me for that to continue. I wanted to become better, and maybe I was able to. It wasn't for you, it was for me, and for my family, and for the people who work for me. But damn... damn. If being better gets me you, I will try to do right by you, every single day, until I come close to deserving you"

"You were an asshole. And you are an arrogant _pijo,_ and probably a _gilipollas_ _._ Which are all bad things in Spanish. Then, your cousin Birdie called me to go over some details for the races, and told me you had been working in the distillery, getting your hands dirty, side by side with your men. The next time, she told me how you got home at 1 a.m. after being at a mine workers' rally. Every time she called, she told me something you'd done to come down to the ground, to see how the other half lived. And that's how I saw you for the last year, through the eyes of those who depend on you, and who had never seen your face before. You learned from your mistakes, and you... and you became who I knew you could be, you became..." Talia lost her sense of direction, lost her voice, lost her ability to form sentences. She hoped there was something in those clumsy sentences that came close to conveying what she wanted to say.

"I became a person, rather than a fucking snob and an arrogant son of a bitch. Listen, I still have a long way to go to become a good person. But you've set the wheels in motion once, and I would like nothing more than to be able to have you on my side for the rest of it" Charles said, his forehead resting on hers. "For the rest of my life, Talia. For the rest of my life, I'll fight till the end to be better. Alright? Please tell me that's alright, that you want to at least be my friend. I am so sorry for hurting you, I am so sorry for ever hurting you..."

"You're insuferable, Shelby. You are. Friends, eh? Friends. You want to be my friend? I don't want to be your friend, _pijo de mierda, es un depre_ " Talia Solomons replied, grabbing him by the neck and planting another kiss on his lips, and then another, and another, until she didn't let go. Why had it been so difficult, if it was so simple now? And how could they ever thank Birdie for what she had done for them? It would have to wait though; neither one of them wanted to think of anything but each other.


	17. Rosewood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess what y'all? It could be more explicit, but it could also be waaaaaaay more tame. Proceed with caution!!!

When Charles turned 21 his cousin Billy, already more than acquainted with the sex workers of Birmingham, had paid a woman to go into his study, and take his virginity. The girl entered the room, saw the Shelby boss working, and proceeded to taking off her clothes, before sitting on his lap, startling him. Truth be told, he hadn't even noticed her coming in, and finding himself with a naked woman on his lap would probably go down as the worst surprise of all time. Politely, Charles had handed her clothes back, offered a cup of tea, and sent the girl on her way. 

Next, it had been at Henry's stag party. The groom himself was entertained by a particularly intense game of chess against Karl Thorne, while the rest of the Garrison oggled at the dancers who occupied the bar counter. It was a strange vision, the man of the hour focusing on such a gentleman's activity, while his friends and family competed to get as close as possible to the women. Once again, Charlie opted for observing the game, stealing a glance or two at the dancers, and wondering what it was that he should be feeling, other than complete boredom. 

That all meant one thing: when Charles Shelby locked the door of the library, he had yet to properly feel desire for anyone other than the woman he locked himself in there with. Talia Solomons had the ability to show him that he was capable of that mad desire he'd seen in others: the way Karl and Lou looked at each other, Birdie and Henry's inability to be in the same room without holding hands, Billy with his girlfriend of the month. It was difficult to compare it, or to describe it, but all in all, it was like his dream, heart pounding, white hot fire, numb limbs, and a magnetic pull toward another body. It was nice, it felt good, but it was easy to understand how it could go too far, taking one to the brink of absolute madness. It was also easy to see how so many people destroyed their lives, forgot about everything, just to feel that way. 

"I'll leave the key here, in case you want to leave" Charles assured, breaking their kiss for a moment, but being forced back into it by Talia, both her hands on his neck. She could almost reach his chin while wearing heels, but the height difference was still marvelous, even considering she had to get on the tips of her toes and Charles had to bend considerably to allow them to touch lips.

"Charlie, you're the one who might want to leave. I'm perfectly fine with wherever we end up, but you might not be" Talia replied, moving her palms from his neck to his chest, daring to kiss him on the cheek, and then on the jaw, feeling his heart race even more when she did so. A kiss here and there was fine with her, and was perfectly fine with him; but anything else would be his line to draw. 

"And where would that be? Ideally, I mean" he asked, hoping that she didn't realise he was as hard as rock. But damn, wasn't it normal to be? Wasn't it what was supposed to happen?

"Ideally? Ideally, this..." Talia said, an eyebrow raised, her hand cupping his erection through the heavy wool of his dress pants. "...would be inside me before nightfall. But like I said: I'll leave that up to you"

She didn't even move her hand, didn't do more than lay her hand on his manhood, but it felt so fucking amazing Charles was pretty sure he would die if anything else felt better, or faint at the very least. He didn't have a single doubt about what he wanted to happen either, and it wasn't just the overwhelming pleasure he felt that confirmed his wishes. Deep down, he'd known ever since he'd invited her into his drawing room almost a year ago that he wanted what she wanted, but had been too scared, too much of a coward to admit it to himself. 

"I want that too. Show me how?" Charlie asked, seeing the devilish smile creep up on her face, her front teeth catching her lower lip. She looked positively dangerous at that moment, which added to her aura, and to Charlie's need to have her, all of her, everything, all at once.

However, to his surprise, Talia took his hand and walked over to the sofa which stood to the right of the room. She sat, making sure not to wrinkle her dress, and crossed her legs, making Charles stand right in front of her, close enough for her to be able to reach and touch him. 

"First step is you taking off your suit" she informed, making Charles chuckle. It was simple enough, and it would help him feel less stuffy and hot. The only issue would arise if Talia didn't find him attractive, but that was something to be left for when her wishes had been granted. Wasting no time, Charlie took his suit jacket, his vest, and his shirt, and placed them on the desk, neatly, before returning to where he was, barefoot, and wearing only his underpants and shirt. 

"Second step?" he asked, seeing her eyes move up and down his body. 

"That shirt. Hand it in" Talia demanded, casting a watchful gaze over his every movement as he undressed. Of course he was built like a God, with the pale skin stretching over strong arms and perfectly-shaped stomach. It should be as illegal as stealing, she deemed, to hide a body like that from her, a well-known lover of well-built men. Catching the shirt midair, she balled it up and kept it in her lap, trying to decide whether she wanted him to take off his underpants, or if she wanted to delay that particular gratification. 

"What now?" Charlie asked, crossing his arms over his chest, observing the feline way Talia got up from the sofa, and came to kiss him, palms roaming over the expansion of skin she'd asked him to show her. The room was slightly cold, which was anything but a deterrent: it was private, locked, and impossible to be looked into from the exterior. It would come in handy, the privacy... especially now that she was showing him the zipper on her dress, the one hidden in the back. 

With one pull, Charlie was able to do something he thought he'd never do: reduce a lady to her undergarments. He could vaguely make out the pinkish tone of the items in question, right before he was pushed into the couch, making him sit and make space on his lap. 

"I was just messing with you, _pijo_ " Talia whispered in his ear, making Charles' hair stand up on the back of his neck. The way her breath touched his skin was insane, it was so good he was almost able to get over the feeling of Talia straddling his lap, glueing their bodies together. 

"Fucking hell, you are the most beautiful human being I have ever laid eyes on" Charles admitted, hands on her waist, pulling her closer, if it was even possible. He even gathered courage to kiss her on the jaw, then on the neck. She didn't seem to mind, on the contrary: she guided him further down, showing him he was welcome to kiss a trail down her chest, arriving at the valley between her breasts, where he took a deep breath. She smelled so good, of cinnamon, and of flowers too, especially there. The beating of her heart was obvious, the sound calming Charlie, grounding him. There were no nerves, no nothing, except for her skin, and the straps of the undergarment that hid the rest of her body from him. 

"Here" Talia whispered, feeling him looking aimlessly for a way to rid her of the brassiere she wore, and that did a good job of restraining her. Reaching around, she guided his clumsy fingers to the hooks, and helped him undo each one of the five. 

"This is... is this necessary? Does it have to be this complicated?" Charlie asked, making them both laugh. The last hook gave in, and the bra came undone, all the straps and metal hoops easing off her body. It provoked a sigh of relief, the two perfect breasts falling into their natural place. "Lord have mercy" he muttered, looking at her like a man posessed, trying to come to terms with the fact that it was her, Talia, the woman he loved, baring herself like that, for him. 

"Fourth step" Talia said softly, kissing his lips, hands on his cheek, prepared to offer him some incentive if Charles needed her to. But he didn't; as soon as she unglued their lips, Charlie took it upon himself to dip his head low, taking a nipple into his mouth, and kissing it as gently as he could, afraid it was going to hurt or bother her. But no, the only thing that happened was a beautiful, subdued moan, a sound from the heavens. Talia arched her back, allowing him to understand it was alright, that he was allowed and encouraged to do exactly what he was doing. 

"This alright? Tell me, tell me what to do. Tell me what you need, what you want" Charles asked, inbetween kissing every inch of her breasts, just to make sure she moaned like that again. 

"Hm? Charles, you need to relax. It's so sweet of you to ask, but I don't really care what you do" Talia admitted, kissing his lips when he came up for air. "What do you want to do? What do you need?"

Charlie found it difficult to know what he needed, what he wanted. It was a question no one had asked in a very ong time. But looking into Talia's eyes, he suddenly knew the answer, and it was clear what step five was. 

Taking advantage of his superior strength, he lifted her up into his arms and laid her flat on her back, legs around his torso. Where there had been calm and slow love, now there was frantic passion, hands searching, pulling on fabric. His underpants came out, finally freeing him from his own constraints. Talia motioned to touch him, but he pushed her away, unsure of his ability to keep himself under control. 

Her own underwear came out, and she managed a soft kiss from his lips before he kneeled on the sofa, picking her legs up, over his shoulders, and placing butterfly kisses on the inside of her thighs, before inhaling deeply and bending over to kiss inbetween her thighs, another haven he failed to comprehend was now his for the taking. She gasped, and then moaned, as he took his time exploring, tasting. 

"Here... and your hand... your fingers..." Talia asked, guiding him with one hand on the side of his head, the other taking his index finger and showing him where it belonged. She was warm, soft, and very, very slippery. His finger disappeared easily, while he licked her folds, kissed them, sucked them into his mouth, before concentrating ont he little spot he had no idea existed, but that made her bite her lip, close her eyes, and whine. 

"Fuck, Talia..." Charles said, stopping for one single second, his finger still working back and forth, under her guidance. She somhow managed to show him another finger wouldn't be unwelcomed, and he did as he was told until Talia pushed him away. 

"Come here" she asked, pulling him up to her, and kissing his lips, legs back to winding around his torso. "All the way?"

"All the way" Charles confirmed, kissing her deeply, as she took his manhood and guided it inside her, biting her lip in focus, watching his face with all her attention. 

Fom then on, nature took over nurture, and Charlie knew exactly what to do: once he was fully inside her, he stopped, giving her time to adjust, before moving his hips, once she nodded quickly. 

"You alright?" Talia asked, hands snaking down his back, eyes locked on his. 

Charles nodded, kissing her neck, his arms supporting his movements. He felt amazing, he felt powerful, he felt... he felt mighty. His broken heart fused together again, mended with the gold of her perfection, of her affection. Talia Solomons, the only woman in the world, his light, his salvation. 

"I love you, Talia Solomons" he ended up saying, reckoning there was no better time than that to tell her everything. There were no more secrets, he knew everything, and she knew it all; there was no point concealing that obvious gospel truth. 

"And I love you, Charles Shelby" she replied, allowing her own body to dettach itself from reality, sending her consience into Charles, into the reason she was orgasming so hard she saw black. He thrust into her a few more times, before he too came in her, with a groan born in the depths of his soul. 

"Are you sure you had never done this before?" Talia asked, once they had decided it was time to put their clothes back on and return to the party. 

"Never. Talia." Charles called, as she put on her shoes. 

"Yeah?"

"I do adore you. And this was the best thing that ever happened to me" Charlie confessed, pulling her into his chest, and kissing her on the lips. 

"Yeah? I adore you too. And yeah, that was..."

"Good?" he asked, surely hoping that was the word she was looking for. 

"Amazing" she assured, kissing him full on the lips, as he opened the door, letting the noise from rhe reception fill their ears once more. Only this time, they entered the ballroom hand in hand. 


	18. Mulberry

Karl was the first one to notice when Charlie came back to the room, with a face like never before. He was slightly blushed, his hair badly combed back in a hurry. His suit was still pristine, but it was about the only thing about him that made sense with the normal Charlie. 

"Would you look at that?" Karl said under his breath, sipping his scotch and holding back a grin. 

"I'm sorry, my love?" Lou asked, looking up at him, trying to follow his eyes to see what he was looking at. 

"Hm? Well, look at Charles. Do you notice anything... different?" 

"Am I the only one who thinks Charlie, our Charlie, looks just like he's had a fuck?" Billy asked out of nowhere, approaching them with a glass in each hand, both half-empty. "Please, tell me you see it too, I haven't even had that much to drink, and Birdie asked me to lay off the snow for her wedding day"

"Oh no, cousin... I see it" Karl confirmed, finally letting Mary-Lou in on the topic. She too found Charles, and could see the beams of light coming from him. What was more, was the look Talia Solomons gave him when they went their separate ways within the ballroom. 

"Are... Is it... did Talia just..." Billy asked, his voice a quiet whisper. "Did THAT just happen? Is she... Did they..."

"He fucked... I'm sorry, my love. He had..." Karl tried very hard to find a polite way of saying Charles and Talia had sex. 

"They fucked" Mary-Lou decided to say, making sure to hide her smile behind her champagne flute. "Him and Talia. They've fucked, and it's amazing"

"It is. I'm going to go get him, he's looking around like he's lost the plot" Billy stated, laughing so hard he cried, taking off and taking Charlie by the arm. It really was incredible, to see the self-assured Charles Shelby in that state of confusion. As promised, Billy brought him back to where Mary-Lou and Karl were.

"Dearest cousin, what in fresh hell have you been up to?" Karl asked, arm around his fiancé's waist, steadying her against his own body. 

"Hm? Nothing, what are you talking about?" Charlie asked, picking up some champagne and drinking it all at once. "This champagne is really quite good, isn't it?"

"Better than Talia Berg?" Billy asked, making Charles choke on his drink, and start coughing. He got even redder, and it was even funnier. 

"What are you saying? Shut the fuck up!" Charles begged, taking his cousin by the arm and looking at him with fire in his eyes. 

"Charlie, come on. He's just messing with you. We won't say a thing" Karl assured, seeing how angry his cousin had become. "We know you too well, there was no way you could hide it from us"

"I just... fuck. Fuck." Charles said, letting Billy go and smiling so wide he beamed once again. Whatever happened, it had brought upon such happiness to a man who had made sure to deserve it; and it was the only thing that could make that day even better. "It... she... we... I... fuck" he ended up letting out, seemingly losing all type of speech other than expletives. 

"Yes, we are well aware, cousin" Karl laughed, not noticing the way Lou was looking at him: he hardly ever smiled, let alone outright laugh like that. Seeing him this happy filled her heart with so much joy it was supernatural. She loved him more than ever, and moments like this, when he surprised her, made Mary-Lou excited to spend the rest of her life by his side. 

"Are you still happy you waited?" Billy asked, surveying the room, to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. Not even Bunny or Kitty were nearby; the only people who seemed to be paying attention were Henry and Birdie, who observed from afar, both smiling at him. Of course, Birdie would've noticed Charles and his newfound happiness, and probably told Henry, who was privy to the situation. 

"I wasn't waiting. I don't think I was, or at least... I waited for her, and that was more than worth it. She's the only one, the only one I've ever wanted, and damn. It was incredible" Charles confessed, trying to wrap his head around his luck, his happiness. Surreal didn't even begin to describe it. 

"I wonder if it's better when you're in love" Billy asked, still looking around, this time scanning the room for anyone who called his attention. It wasn't that hard to please him, and one of aunt Luna's traveller nieces seemed to be right up his alley. 

"With your permission, sweet" Karl asked Lou, who nodded, smirking as she sipped on champagne. "I have it on good authority that you haven't fucked properly until you've fucked the one you love"

"I'll drink to that" Lou replied, raising her glass to Karl and clinking it with her fiancé's, kissing his lips softly. 

"Karl Thorne, I cannot believe your language, especially about this lovely young lady" Billy mocked, making them all laugh.

"Well, you can say it using other words: making love, having sex, whatever you want. But anyone knows that you haven't done it right until you can call it fucking" Mary-Lou calmly explained, her eyes gaining a mischievious sparkle. "Did you, Charlie?"

"The library couch, during my best friend's wedding, with the only woman that makes me hard? I fucked, and I can only hope Talia agrees" Charlie replied, looking at the object of his affections across the room, observing as she happily chatted to Birdie and Henry, as if nothing had happened. 

"Permission to come aboard?" Bunny asked, approaching them with a full tray of gin and tonic, for all of them. "You know what's fun? Including all the cousins in conversations that seemed as fun as this one"

"Bun, I've a question. You were talking to a girl, earlier. Pretty, brown eyes, black hair, green dress, one of aunt Luna's nieces. What's her name?" Billy asked his cousin, making them both search for the girl.

"Oh, you mean Sophia? Yeah, she's pretty, huh? You interested? I'm asking 'cause when we were talking, she was pretty flirty" Bunny replied, biting her full lower lip and giggling. 

"Are the novices at the convent not enough for you? Are you also gonna go after your own kin?" Billy retorted, puffing his chest. It wouldn't be the first time when him and his cousin Bunny had their eyes on the same girl; and Bunny was the one who always got the lady in question to spread her legs. 

"That was one time" Bunny lied, looking down at her nails and biting the one on her index finger. "Besides, she's my mother's niece, and you're my cousin, that makes her as much your kin as it makes her mine"

"Well... ugh, whatever. She's not even that pretty. We can do better" Billy ended up saying, kissing his cousin on the head. "There will be more girls for us to fight over. Not our kin"

"Deal. By the way, Charles. Where were you off to? For an hour? With Talia Berg? Her... father came to ask me if I had seen her, and I said she was with you, probably down by the stables" Bunny informed, sipping her gin and chewing on the bits of ice. 

"Hm? Yes, we were with the horses. She likes horses" Charlie lied, certain that Bunny would be none the wiser. She didn't know him as well as Karl had gotten to, or even Billy, who could smell sex from a distance. 

"Yeah, she was telling Birdie and Henry how she rides her horse in London, in Hyde Park" Bunny confirmed, redirecting her attention to Mary-Lou. "When are you having children?" 

"Bunny, you can't just ask people that" Karl came to his fiancé's defense, looking down at his cousin. She truly had no manners, the damn kid.

"It's fine, my love. Maybe after the wedding we'll start thinking about it" Mary-Lou answered, her smile dwindling slightly. She had gone to a doctor, in London, who specialised in women's health. After her return to Birmingham, and after the two weeks of coma, Karl had proposed; and the subject of starting a family naturally came about. Not daring to ask Henry, they'd decided to go to London, and seek the advice of a specialist, to know if it was an option. 

"I cannot wait to have babies in the family. Birdie says she wants to enjoy marriage before starting a family, so she won't give me nephews and nieces for a bit. You're my only option" Bunny lamented, tilting her head to the side. "Or Charles could marry Talia"

"I could. But for that, she would have to agree" Charlie laughed, finishing his drink, and deciding gin wasn't quite his preference. "Meaning that no matter how much I would appreciate marrying Talia, I don't think she'd be..."

"What? Finish that sentence, _pijo_ " Talia herself asked, approaching their little circle without making Charles aware of her presence. 

"Oh hi!" Bunny let out, admiring the Spaniard for the first time that day. How come she looked prettier each time she came to the Shelby manor? 

"Hey. Please, Charles, amuse me and finish that sentence" Talia asked, fixated on Charles, the entirety of that Iberian fire radiating toward him. 

"I don't think you'd be interested" the man himself stated, looking at her, matching her intensity, despite the frantic beating of his heart, the trembling of his hands. 

"Ask me another time, politely, and I'll consider it" Talia replied, cracking a smile. "In the meanwhile, you might be interested in knowing Darby Sabini has gathered his men, and is coming this way as we speak. He intends to wait out the party, and then come in here and kill you"


	19. Carmine

The guests were gone by midnight, after food and refreshments were generously served. What was more, the newlyweds themselves had departed for Scotland, where they'd be enjoying a carefree honeymoon for a week. The only ones left behind were those who could do something to protect Shelby manor from the eminent attack: Karl, Billy, Bunny, Charles and Talia herself. Not even the staff was asked to stay and give a hand, as any innocent casualties would be unbearable for the Shelbies. Billy had gone to the phone as soon as he heard Talia's words, rallying his men, summoning them from Small Heath to the manor. Karl had persuaded Mary-Lou to follow Kitty and his aunt Luna to the city, and the rest of them went to work, securing windows, doors, everything and anything that could be a way in. 

Talia Solomons took an approach similar to Billy's, but distinct in the modernity of the methods: climbing onto the roof, aided by Bunny, she retrieved something from her small clutch and asked Bunny for a lighter. Not even thinking twice, Bunny lit her own lighter, and held it in place while Talia messed about with an object much like a can of petrol, but much smaller. The Spaniard turned a tiny little valve, and the stench of gas filled the air around them. 

"Light this here for me, will you, _mija_? Careful with your hand" Talia asked, extending the weirdly-shaped can to Bunny, who approached the small flame of the opening up top. 

"Wow!" the younger girl let out, as a long and mighty flame erupted from the device, illuminating the air around them, and filling the night with warmth. 

"We used this back in Spain, to ask for help. The other _maquis_ would be on the look out for the sign, and my men never lost the habit" Talia explained, turning the valve and shutting down the flame. 

"Your men are here?" Bunny asked, as they stepped down from the roof and re-entered the manor, where Billy was still making phonecalls. 

"Tell your men that if they find a group of a dozen men in the woods, they're to say _Madrid is where fascists go to die_ and nothing else, alright?" Talia told Billy, who simply nodded, and went back to speaking rapidly on the phone. "They're in the woods nearby. I never go anywhere far from London away from them" she added, allowing Bunny to lead her to the drawing room, where Karl and Charles were sitting down, bent over what seemed like a map. 

"I think someone ought to go open those gates before anything else happens" Charles stated, looking up when Talia walked in and smiling at her, making room for her in the couch next to him. Bunny went to sit next to Karl, and recognised the downstairs kitchen, but not the tunnels that sprouted from it. "Bun, you think you can find this? Take the map with you"

"Sure" the younger girl stated simply, getting up, taking the sheet of paper, and going down to the kitchen. 

"I asked the _maquis_ to surround your propriety. I think your cousin Billy has look outs to let us know if and when Sabini approaches; there is no way he can get past your walls without getting shot in the cock" Talia informed, resisting the urge to take Charlie's hand. He looked as pale as a skeleton, and she regretted to admit she knew exactly what it was like to feel at death's door. But no one in that house, or in the two gangs that had been summoned, would let the fucking Sabinis get close to the manor, and to Charles himself.

"Thank you" Charles forced himself to say, feeling nauseous. Karl was staring at him by now, as he filled his pipe carefully. "Are you sure that's alright? I would hate for any of them to get hurt... or killed, because of me"

"So that's why you look like your going to be sick" Talia said, leaning back on the sofa and crossing her legs. " _Mi amor,_ these men are three or four times more dangerous than any Sabini army. Do you have any idea of how many times I went to war with these sons of bitches and won? There are thirteen of us, and at least twice that amount of fucking Italians, and we always won. Don't worry"

"As for the Peakies, you know any of them would die for you, in the blink of an eye. Not to mention Billy must've called at least fifty of them, and they worship the ground that kid walks on" Karl confirmed, finally lighting his pipe, and letting out his customary cloud of smoke. 

"There's something else" Billy himself said, appearing at the door, his face even paler than Charles'. "Aunt Luna just called. She... Charlie, she... in the green guest room..."

"She what? William, what did aunt Luna do?" Charles asked, absolutely shocked to see Billy Shelby shaking, as if he was severely sick. "Is she alright? What happened?"

"Billy, go to the kitchen and pour yourself a whisky, alright? We'll stay by the phone in case someone calls. Courage, lad, we'll keep the door shut" Karl said, keeping the pipe in place with his teeth. Without any further ado, Billy did as he was told, his steps a bit wobbly. 

"What the fuck was that?" Charlie asked, looking at Talia, who shrugged. 

"Aunt Luna is a traveller, eh?" Karl asked, receiving nods in return. "She probably thought that this amount of people at Shelby manor attract problems... and left us the best weapons she has"

"You don't... she didn't... oh fuck" Charles let out, terror plastered in his face. This time, Talia had to take his hand, afraid he would pass out. "God above, Jesus Christ, mother of... she's gone insane. She's gone mad"

"Well, case can be made for Luna to have lost the plot at least a couple of decades ago" Karl confirmed, inbetween inhales. "She must've told Billy she locked the door from the outside, and that we should only open it when we wanted someone dead"

"What did your aunt do?" Talia asked, looking intensely at the phone, as if she could make it ring with news by sheer willpower. 

"Aunt Luna has two pythons, who will legitimately kill on sight unless she's around to tell them to back down. So she left them here" Karl said nonchalantly, not even raising an eyebrow. 

" _Puta madre..._ you're not kidding, either. You're serious. Your aunt, the one with the blonde hair and those weird white eyes, left her killer snakes here. _Joder, tio"_ she laughed, throwing her head back. "Not even your cousins can control them? _De puta madre, esos pijos son la leche_ "

"Billy doesn't like them" Charlie said, his face hidden by his hands. "And I don't like the idea of two blood-thirsty animals in the same house as my family" he added, not even remembering they'd been there throughout the wedding. 

"Well, they're locked" Karl assured, a beacon of rationale and prime British cold blood in the middle of that madness. "I wonder if Bun was able to find the gate"

They didn't even need to wait a full minute before a less pale Billy and a lively Bunny showed up at the door, with a bottle of whisky each, Billy's already a quarter gone. His revolver, usually hidden in the inside pocket of his jacket, was now in full display, hooked on his belt. As for Bunny, she was carrying a machine gun with some difficulty, but as steady as she could. 

"Hi! We brought alcohol, and guns; everything a resistance could ever need" Bunny laughed, entering the room and going to sit on an armchair. 

" _Pues que si, mija_ " Talia replied, taking the machine gun and inspecting it carefully. "Everything you need to resist a bunch of bitches, and send them straight to hell where they belong"

"What does that mean? You keep calling me that, but I don't know what it means" Bunny asked, crossing her legs and placing her elbows on her knees. 

" _Mija?_ Means something like "my child", I guess. I'll try to stop it, if you hate it" Talia laughed, appreciating the combative personality of the golden-skinned Shelby girl. She was so different from her sisters, who were way milder and sweeter, not to mention way fairer in complexion. 

"No, I guess it's fine. I am younger than you. Right?" Bunny asked, realising she didn't really know that much about the woman her cousin Charles had fallen in love with. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties, but it was only an estimate; besides, how old were Spanish resistance members supposed to be? Especially the ones with a death sentence under their belt.

"How old are you? Fifteen?" Talia asked, enjoying how direct the other girl was. She didn't seem too bothered by social conventions either, which was a refreshing way of life. 

"Sixteen, actually" Bunny confidently said, straightening her back, trying to look her age. Karl had to hold back a laugh: she was just a child, a kid, but she was already a good businesswoman, and dealt with the workers admirably, paying their wages, listening to complaints, and making sure they were well. Besides, she was already the convent's public enemy number one, due to her nightly expeditions to the novices' quarters.

"A baby. I'm twenty one" Talia informed, as she inspeted her own gown, and seemed dissatisfied by it. 

"A baby" Karl laughed, filling some cups with the whisky, and distributing it around. "I'm a full thirty-five years of age, and you are all babies" 

"Psh, not quite, cousin. Bunny is the youngest, let her be the baby. Those of us who have turned legal can no longer be refered to as babies" Billy protested, checking the number of bullets in his revolver. 

"Those of you who are already legal had already commited enough crimes at Bunny's age to send anyone to prison for life" Charlie remembered, making Billy blush and take a good sip of whisky. "Which I don't blame you for, William; your dad liked having you with him when he went to do some less than legal dealings. It was your bonding time"

"And we did bond, cousin, we really did. Imagine if I had gotten my mother's sense of right and wrong, or her religious inclination? Fuck me, God forbid" Billy spat, fondly remembering his first car theft. 

" _Carajo, tio._ Imagine having your two parents with two different religions. I'd have Sabbath from Friday to Saturday, and then mass first thing Sunday. And I'll be damned if I didn't break every Jewish and every Christian teaching before I was of age" Talia soke fondly of her time breaking the law, almot as if it was a beautiful thing; Charlie could tell she was born and bred like that, watching her father work and do business, even if just over the phone. The way she kept her calm was also just as telling of a lifetime of attacks and plans.

"Can't believe we lost you to Spain. Will I ever be able to convince you to become a Blinder? We'd love to welcome you, and your men, aboard" Billy said, looking at her over his half-empty glass. 

"I'm alright, thanks, mate. I'll tell you what, though: ask the _maquis_ , they might be interested"

Out of nowhere, the phone rang, and Billy launched forwarded to pick up the call. He didn't even make a sound before putting the phone back on the hook, his eyes darkening. 

"The _maquis_ caught someone, and the Blinders did too. They're asking me to go out and see if we can recognise who it is" Billy informed. 

"How do we know the person who called is one of us?" Bunny asked, looking outside the window and seeing nothing, not even wind moving the leaves on the trees. 

"Madrid is where fascists go to die" Billy simply stated, shrugging. "Talia gave me the code, I gave it to my men, and told them to say it on the phone so that I knew it is them. Besides, the nearest payphone is pretty hidden, foreigners wouldn't know it"

"Alright, lads; shall we? Charles, stay here. You're the one they want" Karl said, getting up from the couch. "Billy, stay with him, we need Talia with us, she's seen Sabini Jr." 

"Come back quickly, alright?" Charles begged them, not willing to let go of Talia's hand easily. "Please"

"Don't worry, _mi amor;_ we'll be back before you know it, with a nice Italian supper for you" Talia assured, kissing him on the cheek before following Karl and Bunny outside. 


	20. Opera Mauve

While the Peaky Blinders at the scene of the would-be-crime answered to any one of the cousins, the Spanish _maquis_ were a lot less flexible: twelve men, all carrying heavy artillery and knives, all of them with some form of facial hair, dark eyes and dark demeanours. There seemed to be a leader, a man slightly shorter than the others, wearing an old wide-brimmed black hat. He was the one who approached Talia once she came out of the house, and spoke to her in quick Spanish. Behind him, the other foreigners held two men by the arms, knives at their necks, ready to act if one of them tried anything funny. 

"Pedro says they saw these two idiots trying to jump the gate; they're Sabini's men, we've seen them before. As for the guys your men have... well, none of them is Sabini Jr., but they're known to us" Talia informed, turning to the cousins after finishing her conversation with the leader of her gang of rough-looking men. 

"Yeah, Johnny is saying they caught three trying to do the same. Can you identify them?" Karl asked, motioning the Blinders forward, showing their faces to the _maquis._

" _No los conocemos, no_ " Pedro said, looking over the assailants. 

"Nope, they don't know these men" Talia translated, looking at the moon, and then at Bunny. " _Mija_ , will you do me a favour and take five of my men to the roof? I need them to verify something for me"

"Sure thing" Bunny offered, looking at the men evaluating them, and concluding they weren't a threat to her. They worked for Talia, and she would never endanger a member of the Shelby family, or work with men capable of hurting a young girl. 

"What's wrong?" Karl asked, seeing his cousin walking away with the Spanish men. He wasn't worried for her safety, but rather for the reason Talia Solomons had sent men to the roof of the manor. 

"Well, none of these men are Sabini, are they? My fear is that they were sent as decoys, and the man himself is gonna come and wipe you guys out. And me, for good measure" Talia confessed, knowing very well the kind of man she was dealing with when it came to Darby Sabini. His father was a creep, but the son was even worse; it was said that he kept people locked in cages for his own pleasure and amusement, and Talia harboured the secret hope of breaking into his stupid townhouse and seeing it for herself, taking whatever measures were needed. 

"Does he know you? Does he know about..." 

"Oh, he sure knows me, we've been in each other's presence plenty of times. For him, I'm Talia Berg, who leads a Jewish gang, and whom he tried to fuck, but ended up a eunuch instead" she replied, shrugging. 

"Are... are you serious? You cut his balls off?" Karl asked, jaw dropping.

"Well, no. I bit them off, along with his cock" she stated, shrugging yet again, as if it was nothing. "Truly, I don't think these guys like me very much, I just don't know if it's because of that, or because they can't take my business in the docks"

"Hm" Karl simply uttered, lighting his cigar. "That's one way to get people to dislike you"

"One of my best works so far, if I do say so myself" Talia said, biting her lower lip and rubbing her hands together for warmth. "See, I'm not usually a violent person; but Darby fucking Sabini gets on my last nerve"

"That's... hm." Karl opted out of saying something about her statement being an utter lie. Anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could see Talia was almost all violence; she had her moments, but they were brief and sparse. 

"Thorne! Karl, one of the men had this in his posession" one of the Blinders interrupted their amusing conversation, handing Karl a piece of paper, inscribed with an ornate handwriting, one that denounced a very high level of education. 

"Thank you, Lewis. Hm." Karl let out alongside a cloud of smoke, as he read the note. His brow furrowed more and more with each sentence, to the point where it alarmed not only Lewis, but the nearest Blinders as well. 

"So?" Talia asked, crossing her arms and cursing her stupid silk gown. It was cold, and she was shivering. 

_My dearest Charles:_

_It would be in your best interest, my darling, to hand in the racecourse betting to the Sabinis. We would be delighted to receive them, and would do a better job than you are currently doing. However, if you are not available to do as I ask, I will accept another form of payment, in the form of your presence at my humble residence, and an overnight stay. You are far too handsome to deal in such shady business, with such shady people as the Jews, my boy. I have decided not to kill you tonight, but if you fail to present yourself at my abode within the week, measures will be taken._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Darby Sabini III_

_P.S: Avoid all contact with the Berg girl; she is a rabid, disgusting little whore, who doesn't know what's best for her. I do despise her, Charles, and I think you would too._

"Is he trying to fuck Charles?" Karl asked, in complete disbelief, handing the note to Talia, who read it with a look of amusement.The part dedicated to her was a masterpiece beyond her wildest dreams, and she loved it very much. However, the rest was worrying: either Charles slept with him, or he would come after them all again, just because of the racecourses. And though the Sabinis were badly debilitated, they still had some good men at their orders. 

"He is. He sent me something similar, but decided that he would come to the bakery instead. That's when I bit his tiny dick off" she informed, looking up at the roof. "Should the men stand down? Do we believe him when he says not tonight?"

"I was about to ask you that" Karl returned, looking at his watch. Would Mary-Lou still be awake when he arrived to their home? Or was she asleep? 

"He wants Charles, he wouldn't kill him before he got what he wanted. So I think we should trust him. For once" Talia suggested, taking the Blinders by surprise as she hiked up her dress to the thigh and revealed a double sided holster, with a hunting knife and a magnificently ornate revolver, with mother-peral details. "Go inside"

"What are you doing?" Karl asked, his jaw on the floor again. "Talia, what the fuck?"

"I can take them outside your property, if you want me to" she replied, looking toward the manor and to the roof again. 

"I... Yes, that would... hold on, I'll get Billy" as hypocritical as it was, Karl didn't really know what to do. He'd never seen a man get killed, let alone kill one himself. He knew Billy had done it, and it was obvious as hell that Talia had too; but he couldn't, he simply couldn't. 

In less than a minute, Billy Shelby was out of the house, shirt sleeves rolled up, a look on his face that would remind anyone of his father Arthur. He too was holding a pistol, his lips and brow furrowed. 

"The woods?" Talia suggested, evaluating the youngest Shelby male cousin, and aproving of his resolute demeanor. 

"Yes" he simply said, signaling his men forward. The Spanish brigade followed, with the prisoners held by their arms, and walked into the woods, as far as they could away from the Shelby manor. 

* * *

Back at the manor, everyone had fallen silent when Karl returned. Charlie had gotten up, protesting about Talia and Bunny's absence, ready to go look for them himself. But once his younger cousin returned, he calmed down, opting not to think about what Talia and Billy were doing. A brief thought, born out of tiredness and stress, crossed his brain, involving his cousin and the Spanish beauty, and a tree in the deep woods surrounding Shelby manor. But no, it was just his head playing tricks. They were up to far more wicked things than a tryst under those harrowing circumstances. 

What seemed like hours passed before either William Shelby or Talia Solomons returned to the house, but in reality, it had been only half an hour. Neither of them displayed any signs of a fight or anything more relevant than a nice walk in nature. 

"Are you hurt? Are you two alright?" Charles asked, getting up and running to them, pulling Talia into his arms and placing several kisses on her lips, forehead, cheeks and hair. She tried to fight him off, but the strength of his affection overpowered her for once, her movements restricted by a stupid evening gown. 

"Charles, where are my kisses?" Billy asked, making them all laugh except for Charlie himself, who planted a kiss on his cousin's forehead, all the while holding Talia close to him. "Ugh, get out, get off me, you're fucking gross!"

"We're just fine, and so is everyone else" Talia finally said, momentarily freed from her lover's attention. 

"Yeah, exactly. The Blinders and the Spaniards... I mean..." Billy started, but stopped once he realised he didn't really know what to call Talia's men. " _Maquis,_ isn't it? Yea, I told them all to go to the kitchen and take whatever they wanted"

"Good, good. I owe them my life" Charlie said, the note Karl had handed him still fresh on his mind. "For tonight, I... I don't think I want to make any plans. We all need to rest, we need to clear our heads. And tomorrow, I'll decide what to do with Sabini"

"What? It's pretty clear what you're gonna do, which is nothing. I'll go see him, Billy too if he wants, and we'll take care of that bitch" Talia interrupted, receiving a nod from Billy. 

"No, I don't want you two to solve all my problems for me. Or even the Blinders, or the _maquis._ I'm the head of this company, I need to do what I need to do for the good of the company..." Charles stated, the bags under his eyes and his pale skin becoming evident. He was exhausted, and it was well past three in the morning. 

"You said it yourself, we need to rest. Don't think about it now, we'll deal with everything tomorrow" Bunny advised, as Charlie sat on the couch, completely drained and defeated. "Go to bed"

"I feel like a pussy, I feel like a litle boy who needs to be taken care of" Charles muttered, hiding his face in his hands. 

"Hey, stop. You keep the company that puts food on our tables up and running. We are more than happy to help in what we can, and each of us can help in different ways. You make sure the businesses are fine, and we'll make sure you're fine" Billy said, garnering nods from Karl and Bunny. 

"Same here" Talia added, sitting by Charlie's side and surrounding his shoulders with her arm. He was even shaking, poor thing, it was breaking her heart. "Let's get you to bed"

* * *

"I do feel like a useless baby" Charles said, once he was in his bedroom, the door closed behind him and Talia, who told herself she was only going to make sure he got into bed, instead of crying or drinking. 

"Don't. Remember what Billy said. And remember what you yourself said: everyone needs to sleep, it was a full day" Talia replied, helping him take off his suit jacket. "Tomorrow, you'll think more clearly"

"I hope so. Fuck, everything was going so well... the wedding went off without a hitch, and then what happened... you know. In the library. I was the happiest man on earth, only to have it all threatened the next moment"

"I know, it was wild" Talia laughed, pulling back the sheets while Charles finished undressing. She had to give herself credit for not staring, especially now that she knew what hid beneath his elegant clothes. 

"Would it be wild to ask you not to go to the guest bedroom?" he asked, standing in front of her in only his underpants. "I know I've no claim to that, but..."

"You don't? I mean, you asked, and I'm free to accept the offer; that's pretty much all you need. Well, that, and to help me with this dress. You know how, after all" she smirked, turning her back to him and gathering her hair to one side, to allow him access. 

"You're right, it's... it's kind of unbelievable to be doing this twice in a day" Charles confessed, pulling down the delicate zipper. "Can I offer you something to sleep in? A shirt, or something like that?"

"Actually, yeah that would be great. Anything will do, really" she replied, watching with her full attention as the perfect specimen of a man known as Charlie Shelby walked to his closet, and retrieved a flannel shirt, which was probably going to be huge on her, but looked cozy. "Thank you"

"Would it be overkill to tell you the thought of sharing a bed with you is making me want to cry happy tears?" Charlie admitted, as they both got under the warm blankets,a nd he dared to pull her to him, her back against his chest, the scent of her hair emanating from the tresses resting under his chin. 

"Please don't cry. I'd have to ride you until you stopped, and I can barely keep my eyes open" Talia replied, snuggling into him with a content sigh. 

"Ride me? What does that... Well, shit" Charlie whispered when she turned to him, trying not to laugh. Was he for real?

"I might still have to do that, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow"

"Yes, well, I look forward to being ridden" Charlie simply said, making them both laugh as they fell asleep, finally in each other's arms. 


	21. Onyx

The day after the wedding was one of those days where everything happens. As if the night hadn't been eventful enough, the morning and afternoon proved to be even more challenging for the Shelbies, the Thornes, and even the Solomons. After Darby Sabini Jr.'s ultimatum was read, the cousins retreated to their own homes, none of them wishing to stay at Shelby manor one more second. Billy was the first to leave, the mere thought of bein under the same roof as two pythons making his blood freeze in his veins. Bunny decided to use the newfound tunnels to head to Birmingham, followed by Karl, both of them retiring to their own homes: Bunny to the house she shared with Kitty and their parents, and Karl to the townhouse he divided with Mary-Lou. Only Charlie and Talia were left at the mansion, both pouring themselves generous amounts of their prefered alcoholic beverages. 

First thing in the morning, Luna Lee-Shelby rang the doorbell, which was answered by a very tired looking Charles, who was tying his robe and yawning when he pulled the door open. 

"Good morning, sunshine. I've come for my babies" Luna happily said, smiling as wide as could be at her nephew, who looked mildly in shock. 

"Good morning, auntie. You alright?" he asked, getting out of the way and letting her through. 

"Yeah, never better, per usual" Luna stated, looking up at the head of the company, who didn't even seem bothered by the perspective of opening the door for the pythons and their doting mother. "You seem tired, honey"

"I'm exhausted, to be honest. But I'm... I think I'm happy. Or as close to happy as I've ever been" Charles said, smiling and trying to remember if he had any marks on visible spots. "Despite last night, which was... insane" 

He told his aunt about everything, including the note, eliciting a gasp from the snake charmer. How could he be happy when an Italian mobster made an ultimatum like that? She told him as much, but the smile didn't waiver. Truly, she'd never seen him smile like that: he was a lot like Tommy in that regard. 

"Promise to keep a secret, auntie" Charles asked, stopping as they went up the stairs, and turning to Luna. 

"Sure" 

"You've met Talia Berg, haven't you? Camden Town's boss" Charles assumed, receiving a nod in return. "Well, I... I mean, we... we're in love. She even stayed with me last night; I know you won't berate me for that" 

"That's great, honey! Sweetheart, I'm so happy for you!" Luna smiled, hugging her nephew tightly. That explained it, and it made sense, as the London girl was beautiful and business savvy, a good match for the equally handsome and quick-witted Shelby. "And no, I'm not gonna say anything, you kids go and live your lives, the way you damn well please"

Charles opened the guest room door, and the two gigantic pythons came out of the shadows, sensing their mother was close. Usually, Charles would have shivered, but now he just observed as the animals wrapped around Luna's legs, and climbed up her body, to rest around her waist and shoulders. 

"Aunt Luna, I'm going to ask her to marry me" Charlie said, as the pythons were comfortably settled, not even paying attention to him, as Luna fed them some treats. 

"You are? I think that's marvellous, darling. As long as you're ready and happy, and all that, I'm all for it" she smiled up at him, her eyes acquiring a slightly ashier tone. Her hair had been white for as long as she had been alive, but the early morning tinted it with some gold hues that matched the snakes. "Do you have a ring?"

"A ring? Shit, I don't, I hadn't thought of that. Fuck, where do I find a ring?" Charles asked, switching from happy to panicked in a split second. "My god, how could I forget? Well, to be fair I thought she hated me until yesterday..." 

"Honey, relax. She won't run off with someone else if you don't propose within the week, which means you'll have time to get the ring and everything. And a lot of married people are perfectly fine without engagement rings. I never got any and I think I like it better like that" 

"Yes, I guess you're right" Charles admitted, looking at Luna's hand and only seeing her usual set up: two gold bands on her left ring finger, one adorned with a braid pattern, and the other with a delicate filligree design. "I reckon I would like to get her a ring, but I wouldn't have the first clue of where to get one, or what kind I should get"

"You know what? Ask Henry and Karl, they've made that purchase recently" Luna smiled, following her nephew's gaze to her own hand. "Besides, I'd say the wedding band is the important one. But that's just my opinion"

Charlie was preparing to say something, but they were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. From the main bedroom, none other than Talia Solomons emerged, her eyes widening at the sight of the snakes. 

" _Que guay, las serpentitas! Que lindas!"_ she almost yelled, running to Luna and stopping in her tracks inches away from her. "I am so sorry, mrs. Shelby, but I truly do love animals, and I'd never seen pythons in person. Also, good morning"

"Good morning, sweetheart. Yeah, they're pretty great, aren't they? Lilith, Bathsheba, this is Talia. You're to allow her to touch you" Luna simply said, and the snakes turned their heads to the Spanish beauty, their eyes soft and non-threatening, allowing her to pet their heads. 

"You control them just like that?" Talia asked, pretty amazed by how approachable the two seemed. 

"Pretty much, yeah. They're good girls" Luna shrugged, enjoying the show of Charlie almost drooling at the sight of his beloved. 

"Don't your husbands get mad for you loving them this much?" Talia laughed, not even noticing what she'd said. It was so obvious and so normal to see a woman or a man with more than two partners that she hadn't even thought it wasn't something Luna's own family was aware of. 

"Well, not really, they're fine with my babies" Luna replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have two husbands, who had to compete for her love with two massive yellow snakes. 

"That's honestly the dream" Talia sighed, placing a kiss on each of the snakes' heads, and prompting them to lick her cheeks with their tongues. " _Las quiero, vale? Las quiero mas que todo, son las mas guapas de todas. Guapas chiquititas_ " she added, placing light kisses on the two animals. 

"I'll leave you guys alone. Thanks for keeping them overnight. Don't forget to ring us if you need anything, alright?" Luna insisted, a smirk on her lips as they said their goodbyes. She thought the union would be more than blessed, and she was all for it: Charlie had never seemed to excited about anything in his life, let alone about another human being. 

Charles took his favourite aunt to the door, before going back to Talia, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her full on the lips, the flavour of cigar smoke and alcohol still on their mouths. He had come to the conclusion Talia would be proposed to in a proper way, with a ring, and candles and flower petals. Henry asked Birdie the all-important question in front of her whole family, which was ideal for the oldest of three girls; Mary-Lou had received the formal proposal while on a drive through the countryside with Henry, who set up a picnic, and asked her after dessert. For Talia, he would have to come up with something just as adequate and romantic. 

* * *

"How long has this been going on?" Karl asked, behind the closed door. He was almost sure Mary-Lou had locked it too, for him to have no chances of coming in. 

"Only since yesterday" was the reply, which didn't really put him at ease. Alcohol in excess, although out of character, had been his first hunch, but if it started before the wedding, then it wouldn't be that, at all. 

"Mary-Lou, let me in. Or come out so I can take you to the hospital" Karl insisted, using her full name to let her know he was absolutely serious. His fiancé had enough health issues as it is, enough health scares for someone over a decade his junior; they didn't need to add stomach problems to the list. 

"I don't want to" she said, forcing him to take a deep breath. 

"Lou, this is ridiculous. You're being ridiculous..." he started saying, but the door opened before he could finish. She really didn't look too great, pale and emaciated, with bags under her eyes. "Amazing, let's go, right now"

"We need to go London. And I think we should go right now" was her response, her arms wrapped around her own torso, as if she was trying to keep her stomach within the confines of her body. 

"London? My love, that's almost three hours away, we need to go to the nearest hospital..." 

"No, no, no hospital, I'm fine. I'm fine" Lou answered, more to tell herself she was alright than to reassure Karl, who was looking more terrified with each minute that passed. Was she so ill she was delirious? Why go to London where there was a perfectly fine hospital twenty minutes away?

"No, you clearly are not fine, you've been throwing up for almost two days. You can't even keep tea down, I don't know what to do" Karl almost screamed, the pit in his stomach becoming deeper and deeper. "A nurse, a doctor, let me get someone, anyone, I cannot stand seeing you like this, I'm about to start pulling out my hair"

"Karl, we're having a baby" Mary-Lou said, a smile growing from her lips to her eyes. She hadn't believed it when her period was late, but then the vomits came and it was more than obvious, more than amazing, and more than they could ever have dreamed of. 

"Hm" Karl let out, sitting down on the nearest chair, elbows on his knees, his hands supporting his face, concealing it from Lou, whose first reaction was fear. They'd talked about wanting a baby, Karl had said as much, he was the one to bring it up. But now? Now it seemed as if he couldn't stand the thought of it. That was until she noticed the way his shoulders trembled. 

"My love? Is it good news?" Lou went to ask, kneeling inbetween his legs, trying to get him to look at her. 

"That's... that's the most amazing... those are the best news I've ever received in my entire fucking life" Karl replied inbetween sobs, the tears streaming down his face compulsively. Lou had never seen him cry, but it was good, they were good tear, tears of joy, and maybe the same relief she herself felt. "Are you happy?"

"Of course, I couldn't be happier" she agreed, as he kissed every bit of her face. "I love you, this baby is so lucky to have you as a dad"

"Me? Well, I reckon I'll be just fine, but you... Lou, you as a mother is something out of my wildest dreams. I love you so damn much. o damn fucking much I can't even breathe right now. Shit, this is amazing, this is... shit" 

* * *

People often asked the youngest of the Shelby cousins whether her name was Katherine, and Kitty a nickname she'd adopted. The answer was always no, and it wasn't a lie either: her legal and birth name was Kitty, just as her sisters were Birdie and Bunny. Needless to say, they stood out from the norm, what with a Charles, a William, and a Karl in the mix. However, her parents were also the least conventional out of the bunch: the girls had two dads, and a mom, where others usually had one or no dads. Similarly, they had pastors as father and grandfather, which granted them some ascendant over the local population. 

"Killer Kitty, Killer Kitty, Killer Kitty!" a band of boys chanted, running circles around her, throwing dirt at her dress. Kitty just kept walking, ignoring them, wanting nothing more than to arrive home, to the safety of her family. 

"Leave me alone" she muttered, head down, trying to keep the library books she had borrowed safe from harm and dirt. 

"Killer Kitty, Killer Kitty!" they continued, louder, closer. She could see the boys now, there were only three, not as many as she had thought. But still... being yelled at by one person was just as bad as being yelled at by a thousand. 

"I said, leave me alone!" Kitty shouted, stopping to face the little devils, trying to get them to go away. But they didn't: they just kept on yelling, chanting that horrible motto, so loud her ears started ringing, and her vision got blurry. They were running around her, so fast she could barely make out where they were at any given time. 

The last thing she remembered was to fall on the ground, shielding the library books with her own body, curled up into a ball as kick after kick rained down upon her small figure, the odor of mud and fish filling every bit of her senses. Then, she saw black, and woke up in her own home, in her bed, with her cousin Billy standing over her, blood staining his shirt, hands, and face. 


	22. Portland Orange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok so mentions of violence!!

Whenever Billy Shelby started a conversation with "It's not that bad, but you need to come immediately", it meant shit hit the fan in worrying proportions. He was the kind of man who got everything done, either by himself or with the Blinders. He'd brag about it, sure, but only after everything was dealt with. He rarely asked for help, let alone from his cousins, whom he hated to involve in whatever dirty business he had gotten himself into. 

The story was, however, sadly different when it wasn't himself getting into dirty business; the chances of a cry for help increased tenfold when it was one of his cousins who had fucked up. And boy, had Kitty fucked up. Twice. 

The apparition of Charles with Talia, who had changed into less festive garments, wasn't even noted, given the issue at hand. Billy was positively covered in blood, either his or someone else's, not even the man himself knew. Kitty was curled up into a ball at the corner of her room, her only company being her pet rat. Thankfully, no one else was at the Lee-Shelby residence, not even Bunny, who was supposed to be home. 

"Billy, what the fuck? Aunt Luna was just at my place..." Charles started, but one look at Billy's eyes and he stopped. 

"Charlie, it's happened again, mate. And you know what that means" Billy informed, not even caring if Talia heard it. She would be an official part of the family sooner rather than later, and she needed to hear what was going on. 

"How many?" 

"Three. Kids her age, one of them a bit older" Billy informed, making sure Kitty didn't hear a word. She often retreated into that corner after an episode, the blackouts exhausting her, even if she had no recollection of doing anything. 

"Fuck" Charles let out, observing his younger cousin out the corner of his eye. "I take it we're lucky and no one saw what went on"

"I was passing by, getting ready to come here and ask uncle Finn and Isaiah about the bets for the football match tomorrow. And I happened to see her lose it, and just... well. You know. Pounce" Billy recounted, making sure not to be too explicit. "Couldn't get to her fast enough to stop it, they were well gone by the time I got a hold of her"

"You tried talking to her?" Talia asked, her eyes focused on Kitty as well. 

"We find it best to leave her alone until she's ready to talk to us. She usually appreciates our presence, but would rather be by herself. With Anubis, of course" Charlie replied, the sound of the rat's paws arriving to them even over their conversation. 

"Ah, alright, gotcha" Talia nodded, feeling nothing but pity for the poor kid. She looked so damn young sitting there, just like a fallen cherub. Whatever her illness was, it was severe, and she was dangerous, but Talia couldn't see her as such. All she saw was a profoundly tired child, who probably couldn't even confess to her crimes, as she didn't remember them. "What triggers it?"

"Rage. We've been pretty lucky, she's quite calm most of the times, eh? But sometimes people just... are mean to her, or say something they shouldn't about her family, especially her mother. And of course, after the fisherman... people call her... you know what, aand when it gets to be too much, she snaps" Billy informed, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. "That's what happened here, the boys kept chanting it at her, and didn't stop when she asked them to"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" the Spaniard asked, her pragmatism surpassing the pity and sadness. Surely Kitty wouldn't be charged with those murders, let alone if she could do something to prevent it. 

"Nah, no worries, my guys took care of it. Truth be told, the kids weren't much of a loss: they were known to cause quite a bit of trouble around these parts" Billy replied, looking at his watch and estimating the kids would be well deep into the river. "Nevertheless, Kitty doesn't know what happened, and I should go home to change out of these clothes. You guys alright taking care of her until she comes back to herself?"

"Sure, cousin. Thank you. Thank the Blinders too" Charlie asked, receiving a nod in confirmation before Billy left the room, putting on his hat and buttoning up his coat to conceal his bloody clothes. 

* * *

"I'm going. I'm going and that's final. You can stay outside, I'll take a gun, whatever makes you feel more at ease. But I'll be damned if I'll wait for that piece of shit to come find me in my own home, endangering those I love" Charlie could speak with authority when the need arose, although he tended not to do it in the presence of his family. For them, he was rigid, but always kind, and most of all, fair. When it came to having authority, Karl did a much better job wrangling the cousins and family friends. Even Bunny could command attention and dictate orders better than Charles. But this was about him, it was his decision, and he would shuffle, deal, and call the cards. 

"You sure as hell are taking a fucking gun" Talia said under her breath, the discussion going on too long for her to give in any further. She was willing to let Charlie enter the mouth of the beast, but she was not at all about to let him go unprotected. As for them waiting outside, she hadn't even planned on bringing it up, as it was simply obvious. 

"I think I should go too" Billy insisted, his whole face red. He was absolutely furious that Charlie wouldn't compromise and let him simply set every single home even vaguely associated with the Sabinis on fire. This plan, exposed at the beggining of the meeting, had been met with enthusiastic cheers from Talia Solomons, who dreamed of sitting on an armchair, watching the Sabinis burn, as she drank some nice Spanish red wine. 

"No. Not at all. He told me to come alone, and I shall go alone. In fact, I've already accepted the invitation, and am waiting for further instructions" Charles informed, causing a collective sigh to emanate from his audience. 

"Hm" Karl uttered, indicating the desire to take the floor. "While I appreciate the sentiment of not having the lunatic in Birmingham, I do agree with William and Talia: you will take a gun, and they will have their men outside the address, ready to intervene when needed"

"See? Some common sense, at last" Birdie agreed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She'd come back home early, after her sister Bunny let the cat out of the bag during a phone call, two days into her honeymoon. "Once you get the address, I fully support thorough preparations to make sure he doesn't touch one single hair on your head"

"Fine. That what you want to hear? Fine. I'll take as many men with me as you want. Happy now?" Charlie asked, his cheeks blushed due to the tension of addressing his family in such a harsh manner. 

"We just want what's best for you" Bunny stated, receiving applause from both Birdie and Karl, while Billy and Talia rolled their eyes. They agreed with the statement, but saying it was so... cliché. "Make sure you come back to us in one piece, ok?"

"I'll be damned if a Sabini can take me out. I want to go honourably: either a Billy Boy or a Jew" Charlie laughed, but not as hard as Talia, who almost cried from laughing so hard, the wine in her glass spilling onto her lap.

"Psh, I wouldn't go as low as killing a Shelby, _mi amor_. Dad would be sad if his daughter stooped that low" she affirmed, rolling up her sleeves to make sure she got every bit of the heat from the fireplace. "You're easy prey" Talia added, grabbing Charlie by the chin and placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

"First of all, that was disgusting" Bunny groaned, pretty sure she would throw up if she ever had to kiss a man. "Second, what is that tattoo?" she asked Talia, pointing to the symbol she had etched right above her right elbow ditch. 

"Ah, this is just a symbol all _maquis_ and _maquisards_ have. It's like an arrow pointing down, with two lines across" Talia explained, showing her arm to the younger girl, who surveyed the designs in awe. "Then the bull is a symbol of Spain, as well as the lion. Over here..." she continued, pulling her shirt down to expose her upper back. "I've the star of David, obviously"

"And your hands? The dots?" Birdie dared asking, as they were already on the subject. She'd always liked them, the small black marks below her nail beds, an unusual little detail that suited Talia perfectly. 

"You sure you want to know?" Talia asked, observing her own hands and allowing a smile to creep onto her lips. Birdie nodded, which only made the smile grow larger. "A dot for each fascist I killed. If you look closer, there are more, but the others have kinda faded. I started young" It really was true: almost completely faded, there were more dots, going on a straight line down the slender fingers, reaching the knuckles. 

"I have the same thing, actually, kinda like a tally, eh? Only mine counts every single person I killed, fascist or not" Billy added, exposing his chest, with tally marks etched onto his right pectoral muscle. "And fuck... I do fancy adding Darby Sabini, right here" he confessed, pointing to an almost complete tally, with only the final line missing. 

"I grab him, you kick him" Talia suggested, seeing the horror in Charlie's face. "What? You know perfectly well I've killed people"

"Do I look like the kind of man who's gonna say something about you killing a bunch of fascists? 'Cause I won't, eh? All I'm saying is that I don't think either of you should get to kill Darby Sabini. I'm claiming that honour for myself" Charlie announced, his whole being beaming with rage against the man who dared taint the best day of his whole life that far.

"Can't wait to see it" Talia stated, biting her lip and winking at him, every bit of her responding to the violence of his intentions. 


	23. Persimmon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW TW!!!

Charles had a happy life, comparing to a lot of other people; in fact, his life was way better than 99% of population. Imbued with that knowledge, he tried very hard to do his best with the advantages he was given, nurturing his company, aiming to know more, be more knowledgeable, and never fall into the arrogance of his old ways. That being said, he devoted most of his time to business, but the days that followed Birdie's union with Henry found him cultivating more worldly skills. It made for a more complete man, and also one that was less stressed, less uptight, and bit more open to suggestions. 

"Like this?" Charlie asked, laying down on his back as instructed, his hands over his stomach. 

"That works, yeah" Talia replied, appreciating how quick he was to follow her lead. Granted she was the one with experience, but not many men would be willing to relinquish control, no matter their nationality. 

"Careful" he warned, taking her hands to help her climb onto him, one leg to each side of his hips. "What should I do now?" 

"Stay still, you're doing great" she replied, bending over to kiss him on the lips, still holding onto his hands, not as much to stay balanced, and more to just feel close to him. "Ready?"

"If you are" Charlie stated, a shiver of antecipation running through him as Talia, slender and strong, sank down onto him, causing another spasm to run through his muscles. It was only their third day together, but the more he made love to her, the more conceived he became that it would never be normal, it would never be expected. It felt even better now than it did the first time, and there was a good chance of him dying of sheer pleasure every time she moved her hips like she was now, up and forward, down and back. What was more, her hair seemed to be everywhere, strands reflecting the sunrise outside. She was gorgeous, and soft, and warm; strong and passionate, but sweet and caring, too, making sure to ask permission, to check in on him, to never forget to ask if everything was ok. 

"Come here" Talia demanded, taking his hands from the relatively chaste location on her waist, and placing them on her own hips, flexing his fingers to make sure he held on tightly. "You're the boss now, tell me what to do"

Charles really was used to being the boss at the office, but had relied on Talia to guide him through all things regarding sex. Now, she was telling him to do as he pleased, as if he even knew how. Strangely enough, and as many hours as he had spent fantasizing about having Talia Solomons completely at his mercy (with her full consent, of course), his mind went blank, causing her to laugh at his shocked expression. That was another thing: most girls he knew tended to giggle; Talia never did, she just laughed, from the bottom of her heart, a sound he loved. 

"Don't be scared, I'm gonna stop and you'll tell me how it feels better. Alright?" she asked, placing a hand over his heart and another on his cheek. His heart was beating fast, which was normal given the situation; his breath was hot and humid, her thumb over his lips making it obvious. 

"Alright" was the reply, and, as promised, Talia stopped moving, harbouring him inside her completely. It felt incredible still, but she truly wanted to move, her whole being ached for movement, for friction. But she'd wait, for as ong as he needed her to. Then, slowly, the strong, large hands gripped the softness of her hips, fingers digging ever so slightly, pulling her to him, and then back, forward and back, until it wasn't enough anymore, and Charlie decided to pull her up a tiny little bit, making her sink down on the way back. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, no" Talia said, unable to look away from the cold blue eyes that had come to life, his irises on fire, and his eyelids threatening to close, a reaction he was fighting with all his might. 

"Fuck, it feels so good" Charlie moaned, the muscles on his arms flexing and relaxing, his chest following suit, the veins on his neck protruding just a little bit. His jaw was absolutely clenched, not a milimetre between his bottom and upper teeth, a tint of red covering his chiseled cheeks. "It feels incredible, shit..."

Talia simply nodded, biting her lower lip, not wanting to speak or even move a muscle, as to not disturb Charlie one bit. The way he looked, the way he spoke, the way he made her move, so slowly and so tenderly, it was the most perfect picture, one that she couldn't get tired of, one she could never get enough of. If that wasn't enough, there was also the jolts of fire that were taking over her, the wildfire born from every single bit of skin touching, moving, rubbing...

"Keep doing that" she found herself pleading, almost begging. All he needed was to repeat the movements, the cadence, everything, for her to see stars and fireworks, her body giving in and giving up. As for Charlie, he wondered just how he was able to pull through the tightening of her muscles around him: the feeling that ensued made him wish he was dead, that he could die right there and then for that to be the last thing he felt in his life. 

Holding her in his arms was something else entirely: the hearts slowing down, the breathings get slower and deeper. Under the blankets, not even the impending arrival of Darby Sabini's invite could touch or bother them. 

"I think I'm getting slightly better at it" Charlie said, looking down at Talia, who was studying the hairs on his chest with her whole attention. 

"As if you were ever bad" she replied, running a fingernail over his chest and down to his navel. 

"Well, thank you, but I need to learn, don't I? I want to know exactly what to do, and how to do it"

"Don't stress it" Talia advised, allowing the waves of calm and peace wash over her. "I like it, and I'm pretty sure anyone else would too"

"Anyone else? What do I care if anyone else would like it?" Charlie asked, furrowing his brow. "I don't care if the general public is pleased with the way I make love"

"Oh Jesus, the way you make love? That's... shit. That's one way to put it" Talia laughed, wondering just how one got to speak in such a way. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to insult you, or the way you speak about sex, but it's sex, _mi amor_. It's a bit less polite than making love"

"Mary-Lou said something of the sort at the wedding" Charlie remembered, clear as day, the shock he received when he heard Karl's fiancé, the primmest and most proper human being on the planet, uttering the word "fucking", and being completely in her element in a conversation about sexual themes. 

"Mary-Lou? Mary-Lou as in..."

"Karl's fiancé, yeah. The one and the same. If I remember correctly, she said that you can only call it fucking when you do it right. And I'm still working on recovering from that" Charlie admitted, with a chuckle and a kiss on top of Talia's head. 

"Damn, she's... full of surprises, isn't she? I can see why Karl would like her" Talia stated, wishing she'd been there for that talk. "What do you say? Have we made love, or have we fucked?"

"Oh, we've fucked, for sure" Charlie replied, making them both erupt into laughter. "I meant what I said before. About not caring if I could please anyone else. I just want to please you. And that's what I'm working on"

"You mean it being just you and me?"

"Yeah. I love you, and you're the one I want to be with, now and for the rest of my life. I've no desire to have sex with anyone else, and this is me trying to ask you not to sleep with other people. I know it's not my place to ask, but I thought I would anyway"

"You didn't need to ask" Talia assured, kissing him on the lips. "You and me, Shelby. So you better keep up"

"Don't worry, I will"

Not even an hour later, the letter from Darby Sabini III arrived at the manor, indicating the date and location of their meeting. The bubble burst, and reality came rushing in, like water and a sinking ship. 


	24. Saffron

Karl approached the door and took a deep breath before knocking. He'd thought this encounter through, and Mary-Lou had agreed that Charlie needed to know about the baby, and he needed to be informed before he departed for London, to meet with Sabini, and try to stop the stupid little man from expanding his dying empire at their expense. None of them had said it, but if anything happened to Charlie, none of them would be able to live with the knowledge that he never knew there was going to be a new baby in the family. More than that, the two men had become close, way closer than before, and i felt right to tell Charles first. Just in case. 

"Come in" Charles uttered, his voice a bit shaky, just enough for Karl to be able to detect the nervousness. Nothing else was really the matter, the company was fine, everyone was alright; the nerves had to be about the trip, and about the negotiation that was bound to be more than difficult. 

"You alright?" Karl asked, entering and sitting down across his cousin, taking out his pipe and lighting it. 

"Sure" Charlie replied, following on his cousin's steps and lighting a cigarette of his own, taking a couple of puffs before leaning back on the chair. "As long as you don't start talking about my going down to London tomorrow, and what I'll be doing there. Birdie and Bunny already tried to therapise me about the subject, and I really, really don't want to go through it again"

"I'm not here to talk about anything other than myself, mate" Karl chuckled, not in the right headspace to even begin to imagine what being therapised by Birdie Miller and Bunny Shelby meant. "Somehow, I can't stand the thought of tomorrow either. But I do want to say that I am profoundly honoured to have you as my cousin, and that it would be an even greater honour if you'd accept being my child's godfather"

Charlie was speachless for at least a couple of minutes, his whole face frozen in shock. He didn't know what to try and process first: the fact that Karl had complimented him so obviously, or the mention of his child. His brain was just as imovable as his features, which was unusual for a quick-witted and sharp business owner. 

"Just to make sure I was clear: Mary-Lou, my fiancé, is expecting a baby, whom she assures is mine" Karl laughed, which seemed to snap Charlie out of his stupor. "And I am asking you to be the baby's godfather"

"Karl, that is... that is amazing news. Those are amazing news, cousin! Congratulations! Let's drink to that, I'll get some whisky and we'll toast to Lou having a healthy pregnancy and easy birth" was the reply, and Charlie was quick to make good on his promise, getting up, getting the whisky bottle from its table near the door, and two glasses. Once they were filled, the two men toasted and took their sips, enjoying the warmth of good news and excellent alcohol. 

"We haven't told anyone, we reckon it's pretty recent and because of what Lou has been through, we don't want to celebrate before time. But I wanted to tell you, in case..."

"In case I don't make it back. I understand, and I appreciate it. The secret is safe with me, don't worry" Charles said, dragging on his cigarette and smiling through the smoke.

"Yes" Karl admitted, never one to lie or hold back, especially not from Charlie, not anymore, and not in the present company. "It's a stupid worry to have, you'll be more well protected than the queen"

"I know, which is why I'm not shitting my pants right around now. I also have news of my own, and it's good that you're here, because I'll need your help" Charles asked, putting out what was left of his cigarette and tapping his fingers on the table a couple of times. "It's personal, too, and I'd apreciate if you'd keep this between us" 

"Sure. Go ahead" Karl insisted, looking down at his hands to give the possible privacy for Charles to say whatever he needed to say, without the pressure of a set of eyes fixed on his face.

"I'm going to ask Talia Solomon for her hand in marriage" the younger man informed, his whole being overcome with a sense of nervousness and inexplicable joy. 

"Oh. Oh wow, that's... that's great, that's..." Karl almost choked on the smoke he was inhaling, never in a million years expecting that statement. One thing was Charles and Talia shagging once in a while, and he had clearly fallen in love with her. But in what world did he think she would accept a marriage proposal? His thoughts must've been evident on his face, because Charles smirked and let out a chuckle. 

"You don't think she'll accept" 

"Hm. No, I don't" the older cousin retorted, his honesty not allowing him to lie to Charlie, whom he knew very well, and who knew him just as well. "Not only that, but you do realise that marrying you will shine a spotlight on her, one she might not want cast upon her past"

"I know. Which is why I'm not planning on having any sort of public announcement, or even any type of public cerimony. Besides, she knows very well she's free to refuse; we've agreed that we want to spend our lives together, and if we don't marry, so be it"

"So you've agreed on that, have you? Alright, I take what I said back. I couldn't be happier, she's an excellent choice" Karl complimented, smiling a bit more freely. "What did you need help with?"

"A ring. An engagement ring for her. I don't know where to get one, but you bought one for Lou not long ago, didn't you?" Charlie asked, the nervousness returning a little, as his words came out of his mouth in increasing speed. 

"I did, that's true. There's this jeweller in the city centre; He has some rings to choose from, or you can get a custom one" Karl informed, taking out his pocketwatch, to see if the man would still be at the shop. "He closes in about an hour, or we could go after hours, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem"

"No, no. Let's go now. I want to get it as soon as possible, so I don't lose my nerve" Charlie got up and put on the first coat he could get his hands on, while Karl put his on as well, a bit slower. 

* * *

Kitty looked around the kitchen, making sure no one was around other than her mom and dads. Luna was sewing something, while Isaiah wrote his next sermon, and Finn drank his tea, his knuckles raw and bruised from some altercation at a football match. It was usual, as usual as it could be for such an unusual family. She poured herself some tea as well, and sat down at the kitchen table, the three pairs of eyes focusing on her, with infinite love and attention. None of them were ever too busy for their children, none of them ever looked at them in anger or resentment; their home was always warm and cosy, instead of cold and impersonal, like Shelby manor. It was the same home they'd lived in even when it was just the three of them, the same home given to Finn Shelby by his older brothers when he was just a kid. 

"I think I'm turning bad" were the first words to leave her mouth, each of them said in complete and utter seriousness, while the youngest of the three girls tried to swallow her tears. 

"Why do you say that, sweetheart? What's happened?" Finn asked, avoiding looking at his spouses, not wanting them to look at him, and certainly wishing Kitty didn't notice the change in his demeanour. 

"Some kids called me Killer Kitty again" Kitty confessed, her small fists balling up under the table, being met by the soft licks of Lilith, one of her mother's pets. It was soothing, but it didn't make her feel better. Bathsheba did the same, and soon the two pythons were curled up at her feet, as if protecting her from the evil spirits Kitty had been feeling closing down on her. "And I wanted to... I wanted to..."

"But you didn't, pet. You were brave, and strong, and we couldn't be more proud of you" Isaiah replied, reaching for her hand and giving her a warm smile. "Listen, we all have bad thoughts some times; but what matters is that we don't act on them"

"Are you sure?" Kitty asked, a bit calmer. If her dad said that, he had to be right. He was a man of God, and he wouldn't let her sin. Besides, her mom and other dad didn't look at her any different after she confessed, which had to mean she really wasn't losing her mind, that she was normal, and alright, and good. 

"Of course" Isaiah assured, feeling the trembling hand steadying a bit under his. 

"Pay those people no mind, ok? You're good, and kind, and special" Luna added, wanting nothing more but to be able to take the pain from her loved ones, feeling it all herself, to give them good nights of sleep and sweet dreams. Kitty was so fragile, just like Birdie, and they both had been through so much unfairness. If only there was a way to rid them of the bad, leaving them just the good... "And you are loved beyond measure. Never doubt that, eh?"

"Never" Kitty nodded, sipping on her tea, and deciding that she would go wash her hands again, so that the dried blood under her fingernails went down the drain, allowing her to believe her parents.

The kitchen table was occupied by four people: Finn Shelby, who had taken a man's eyes without hesitation before he could grow a beard; Isaiah Jesus, who preached by day and rigged matches and fights at night; Luna Lee-Shelby, who'd killed her parents by feeding them to snakes; and Kitty Joan Shelby, who killed three boys with her bare hands, clawing, scratching, and biting at their necks. 

Whatever ran in their blood, it ran mightily, and there were no better examples than the killers hiding in plain sight. 


	25. Rose Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> VIOLENCE and other horrible things ahead guys! It's quite graphic, sorry!

London existed in its sown realm, in its own level of reality. There really was no other place quite like it, and within the city itself, there were nine circles of hell, each one worse than its predecessor, and all ran by some type of gang or cartel, which didn't really care for human life. 

Darby Sabini Jr. was rich enough, but he craved one thing, harder to achieve than money and gold: power. Power was difficult to achieve, and even harder to maintain. His father was the obvious example of that, having lost his businesses to the Shelbies and the Solomons. More than that, he'd most recently lost whatever small enterprises he had, with the arrival of Ollie Berg's horrible daughter, the one who had dealt with him in a manner that was anything but ladylike. 

"What shall we do when the guest arrives, sir?"

"Well, I... I reckon you could leave... but no. I want you here, in case he brings... backup" Darby stated, looking around and apreciating the cleanliness of his apartment. 

"Very well, sure" the valet ended up saying, bowing slightly and leaving the room, taking a deep breath. 

The bell rang in that very moment, insistent and loud. Darby Sabini felt a shiver run up and down his spine, excitement and arousal running through his veins. He knew he couldn't get hard, not anymore, not after Talia Berg, but he would be as hard as a rock if he was capable of it. The thought of the handsome, ice-cold, wealthy, powerful Charles Shelby at his mercy was too tantalising to get over. 

"Mr. Charles Shelby, sir" the same valet announced, turning to the side when Charles approached the door, filling the overwhelmed living room with his tall, serious presence. 

"Ah! Charles, welcome, welcome, to my humble home!" Darby shouted, his being trembling with excitement. Charles advanced, looking as dashing as ever in a tuxedo, as requested by his host. His face truly was a painting, something out of the most beautiful Renaissance paintings, a Greek god and Ancient deity. There wasn't a single sign of disgust or fear, which was the only disaapointment Sabini found in that scene. 

"Darby" Charlie uttered, looking around with apparent composure. But inside... inside, it was different. Inside he was about to throw up, to turn around and walk away. 

All around them, there were cages. Cages with animals, cages with children, cages with adults, teenagers... women and men of all ages, dressed in rags. It was obvious most of them were underfed, and lacked hygiene, as well. What was more, and even though Talia let him know of the rumours, it was still more shocking than he expected. They were all silent, not even the sound of their breathing was audible. 

"I am so glad you're here, and you look so... stunning" Darby said, his booming voice reaching Charles in the depths of his horror. 

"Thank you" the Shelby heir replied, all the calm in the world in his voice, in his demeanour. He wouldn't allow himself to lose his grip, he couldn't forget what he was doing there, and he couldn't forget the prize he could win once he completed his mission. 

"A drink, old boy?"

"Yes, please" Charles politely requested, placing his left hand inside the pocket of his dress pants. The little box was comforting, making sure he wouldn't lose his mind and start beating the crap out of Darby Sabini Jr. and his stupid staff. 

"You see, I asked you here becaue I crave you, Charles. I do crave you so very much, just as I craved the Berg daughter. But I know you have manners, whereas she does not. And what she did to me would never cross your mind" Darby affirmed, his wet tongue running over his lips, stepping closer and closer to Charles. A pinkish, warm hand, ran over his chest, daring, and with no sense of personal space. 

"Hm, is that so, Darby?" Charlie simply replied, taking the glass of whisky he was offered, taking the humiliation he was receiving and the deeply unwanted touch of the man he hated in stride. 

"Yes, it is. What's more, I really only want one thing from tonight, and that's to make you mine, pleasure you until you can only think of me" was the response, the hand daring to go from Charlie's chest to his abdomen, and then lower and lower. 

That was the moment one of the captives decided to let out a sigh, the lightest of sounds, but one that broke Charles Shelby and his resolve. His mind snapped, and his body followed suit;: Darby Sabini received a punch to the face, and another to the stomach. As soon as it happened, a swarm of valets, maids, cooks, and other help rushed in, trying to protect their master, grabbing Charlie and punching, kicking and pinning him to the ground. 

The last thing Charlie saw was the barrell of a revolver, pointing at him. And with the strength he had left, he reached for his pocket once more, opening the little box, and feeling the cold metal and diamonds of the ring he'd chosen for the woman he loved. And even knowing he would never get to ask her to marry him, he knew he loved her, and that she loved him. 

Death wasn't so bad after a life so good. 

* * *

Henry and Birdie had done everything, taken out the bullets, and sutured the wounds. Charlie looked like he had been dragged through Hell, and it was probably what haappened too. None of them knew exactly what caused Darby Sabini to do what he did, to try and kill his guest. If Talia hadn't had that strange premonition, he would be dead, they would've lost him at the apartment, instead of being able to get him home, where he could either fight harder to hang on to life, or let go peacefully, surrounded by those he loved and who loved him. 

"We never thought Lou would make it, but she did" Karl reminded them, taking his love by the waist, bringing her closer to him. 

"Well, yes. But her illness was... slightly different, I guess. These are bullets, and one of them punctured his lung. He's got profound lacerations, and..." Birdie exclaimed, throwing her hands up. She didn't know what else to say, Karl was hanging on to hope that wasn't really feasible, on account of the miracle that was Mary-Lou. 

"Are you sure there's nothing we can do?" Mary-Lou herself asked, biting her lip to keep herself from shedding more tears. She didn't want to cry anymore, although the simple sight of Talia's expression made her eyes well up with warm, desperate tears. 

"I'll keep an eye on him, and I'll make sure to ask any specialists he needs to come here" Henry assured, taking Charles' pulse and counting his heartbeats in time with his pocket watch.

"And I'll change the dressings on his wounds, try and prevent infection" Birdie added, observing her husband as he tended to her cousin. She too avoided looking at Talia, although her sorrow filled the space around her like a dark, heavy cloud of rain and thunderous grief. "Try to ensure he doesn't suffer"

"Will you please give me and Talia the room?" Karl Thorne asked, clearing his voice and looking down, as he lit his usual pipe and took a deep breath in. 

Luckily, no one really questioned him, or even looked at him funny. No one asked anything, and the room was soon empty, except for him, Charlie's almost lifeless body, and Talia, who hadn't moved from her beloved's side ever since she had broken into Sabini's apartment and shot everyone on sight until she freed her man from their claws. Sabini himself was dead and gone, with three bullets on his forehead. As for his captives, they were safe and looked after. 

"I don't want to assume the worst, but I feel like there are things that I need to tell you, that Charles told me before he departed to London" Karl started, pacing around, trying to find the right words to relay the message. Charles would've wanted him to tell Talia, in the event of his death, about his plans. And if not now, then when? Birdie and Henry had said it themselves: they'd done everything they could. 

There was no answer, and certainly no eye contact: the woman was completely broken in her pain, her eyes almost closed in contemplation, her mouth moving slightly with the intensity of her prayers. 

"He had this with him when he went to the apartment" Karl continued, retrieving the velvet box from his pocket, and handing it to Talia, who was now directing her attention to him, Charlie's hands between her own. "I purchased it with him, the day before his trip. It meant the world to him to be able to give you it, and ask you to become his wife"

With that being said, Karl handed the box to Talia Solomons and watched her open it, her eyes growing wide when she saw the diamonds and the emerald that composed the engagement jewel. 

"He was..." Talia whispered, looking from the ring to the unconcious man. The vague shadow of a smile appeared in her features, as she took the ring out of the box, and placed it on her finger, admiring how it looked, before bending over o be able to place the softest of kisses on Charlie's lips. "Of course, _mi amor_. Of course I'll marry you. Get better soon and we'll marry"

"He did seek for your father's permission, as well. I don't know if that matters to you, but..." Karl added, handing her a pair of letters, one written by Charlie, and the response in her father's handwriting, signed by both him and her mother. 

"Thank you. So much. For... for giving me the ring, and the letters, and telling me all this" Talia said, her voice slightly shaky, but the small smile still on her lips. 

"That's no problem. And Talia... even if the worst case scenario comes true. You saved him and managed to bring him here. You'll always be family to us" 

"Thank you" the Spanish beauty replied, going back to observing Charles as he slept, his chest rising and falling weakly. 


	26. Sage

It began with a headache, and escalated into pain that overwhelmed the entire body. The nausea never arrived, and neither did the cravings: nothing more than pain, so strong it was hard to function, so she simply didn't. It was more than she could take, her whole world on fire, burning the colours that surely existed outside into a black and gray horror, a desolate landscape worse than a burnt forest, or cemitery after dark. A suffering like no other, something out of Dante's inferno, and a child to be born into it, sooner or later. It wasn't even a nightmare: it was Hell. 

" _... santificado sea tu nombre, venga tu Reino, hágase tu voluntad así en la tierra como en el cielo. y perdónanos nuestras deudas así como nosotros perdonamos..._ " Talia repeated the prayer time and time again, making sure not to stop, day and night, night and day, one hand holding Charlie's, and one hand on her midriff. If only he could know, if only he could somehow be made aware of everything that would be waiting for him, if he just woke up...

Birdie had known, since very early on, that Talia Solomons was expecting a child who, although certainly unplanned, was desired beyond measure, by both mather and father. Charlie would surely be over the moon with satisfaction if he discovered the woman he so passionately loved was carrying his son or daughter, while wearing the engagement ring he'd gotten her. If only he opened his eyes, he'd see his wildest dreams come true; but he wouldn't, he couldn't. Birdie herself, while making sure his wounds healed, made sure to pull his eyelids up slightly, to try and get a response, to try and show him what he was missing; but Charles Shelby continued to sleep, his heartbeat faint, and his breathing ragged. 

"Sweetheart, you should go to the hospital. Mary-Lou is being followed by a very good doctor, and I'm sure he could fit you in for a check-up" Birdie said, sitting on a chair by Charlie's bed. "I know you don't want to leave Charlie, but I also know how much you love your baby"

"I don't want to risk leaving him here" Talia replied, refusing to look at Birdie. "If he wakes up, I want to be here; and if he doesn't, I don't want to be gone when he dies" 

"We have to have hope, don't we?" the eldest of the three girls stated, interlacing her own hands on her lap. She couldn't bear the thought of her cousin dying, her best friend, her confidant. What was more, seeing Talia in such a state of grief and sorrow made Birdie think of what would happen if it was Henry who was lying down, dying slowly, for the past two months. 

"Sure" was the dry answer, right before there was a knock on the door, and Billy Shelby walked in, hands stained with dirt and the usual bottle of cheap alcohol on his hand. 

"Hey. No news?" he asked, coming in and shutting the door behind him. 

"No, he's still..." Birdie informed, although she didn't know what to say. Billy nodded, having understood what she meant. "Everything alright?"

"Yes, sure. I wish Charlie was awake to hear what I'm about to say, but I'm engaged" Billy announced, making Birdie choke on the sip of water she had just taken, and Talia's jaw drop. 

"What do you mean, engaged? Engaged to whom? Billy, you can't be serious, not when you spent your whole life bed hopping" Birdie said, beyond incredulous. "Marriage is serious, it means only sleeping with one person for the rest of your life, being faithful and building a family..."

"I know. I know all that" Billy retorted, combing back his mess of a hair. "I understand that, and I..."

Talia let out something between a gasp and a yell, interrupting Billy's passionate defense of his most recent decision. 

"Charlie? Charlie, wake up! Wake up, damn it, I felt that, wake the fuck up, for fuck's sake!" Talia yelled, kneeling on the matress and shaking Charles so violently his head bahsed into the pillow time and time again. 

"Talia, what the fuck? Stop doing that, you'll kill him!" Birdie yelled in return, launching forward to wrap her arms around the Spaniard, trying to stop her assault on the sleeping figure. 

"Wake up, wake up, WAKE UP! Open your eyes! Open your god damned eyes, Charles John Shelby, I will kill you myself if you don't open your eyes right the fuck now!" Talia kept on screaming, not allowing Birdie to pull her away from Charlie. "Your child needs you, I need you, please, please..." she continued, sobbing into his chest, refusing to let go, and refusing to accept what she'd felt wasn't real. 

Only it was. It wasn't really surprise that Birdie and Billy felt; it was more of a transcendental experience, unlike any other, and thus unable to be turned into something so small as human language, so measly and earthly. In reality, the sight of Charlie Shelby opening his eyes, and looking at Talia Solomons with all the wonder in the universe, was as close to a religious experience as they would ever have. 

"Say that again. Say that again, one more time" he said, his voice raspier, but otherwise normal. 

"I need you, your child needs you" Talia sobbed, kissing his lips again and again, her hands on his cheeks, before pulling away and simply staring at her beloved, basking in the luminosity of his gaze, on the happiness of having him back, of having him looking at her, touching her, smiling at her, now more than ever before. 

"My child?" Charlie asked, sitting up, without aparent difficulty, and placing both his hands on his fiancé's stomach, tears falling down his eyes as well, a smile the size of planets on his handsome features. "Talia, are you... a baby, my baby? Our baby?"

Talia simply nodded, as Billy and Birdie took that moment to silently leave the room, both knowing that wasn't their moment to share, and that they'd be better off going to tell the rest of the family that their Charlie was back, that some miracle had brought him back, good as new, without as much as a hard time speaking, or loss of memory. With Lou, she had faced months when she couldn't walk properly, or remember some things. She certainly hadn't woken up as if nothing had happened, like Charlie just had. 

"Our baby, yeah" Talia assured, covering Charlie's hands with her own, so happy she was shaking. "And your ring" she informed, showing him her left hand, where the ring had found its home.

"Oh my god, my love, that means... I'm sorry I didn't get around to asking you before, but I..." Charlie started saying, before he too gave in to emotion and sobbed, his head on Talia's lap, kissing her belly over and over, even through the fabric of her clothes. "Fuck, where the fuck was I? We should go to the doctor right this second. No, we should get married right away. Where's Isaiah? Jeremiah? One of the two, where the fuck are they, I want to marry you right this second, say you'll marry me right here, right now"

"You should rest now, stay still and rest, I'm not going anywhere" 

"No, no, I've rested enough, I feel just fine" Charlie insisted, trying to get up but falling, not having used his legs in over two months. "Fuck, what the fuck..."

"Shut up and get in bed, right now. I'll marry you later, now you need to get your shit together, and not to dumb shit" Talia laughed, helping him under the covers. "You do realise this is a miracle, Henry said you would die any day"

"Henry said that? Well, Henry is a bitch, and whoever believed him is a bitch. I'm in good health and even better spirits. In fact, I don't think I've ever been as healthy as I am now. God damn it, I'm going to be a father. Fuck me, we're having a baby. It's unbelievable. I cannot believe it, I'm so happy. So, so happy. I love you, I love you both, so fucking much" Charlie uttered, taking Talia's hand and kissing it repeatedly. 

"I love you too; and I'm sure the little one does too, although I can't be sure" she said, lying down next to her love and allowing him to wrap his arms around her. 

"I'll make damn sure you two are the happiest human beings that ever walked planet earth. I promise you, I'll make damn sure of it" he assured, kissing her lips again, before taking her hand and smiling at the engagement ring she wore on her ring finger. "And I will never leave you alone. I'm so sorry, for everything"

"That's alright, it's over now" Talia responded, smiling wider than ever before. "And did you hear Billy? He says he's engaged"

"I'm sorry, Billy is WHAT?" Charles asked, not crying anymore, his pupils blown. "To whom?"

"I can honestly say I've no idea, and I don't think Birdie does either"

Now that was a mystery worth getting up for.


	27. Obsidian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces characters who will only make sense once my new thing called "New Orleans" comes out. Still, no need to read it to understand it, though.

The doorbell always seemed different when it was them. Charlie didn't expect them to come, but he should've known they would. Even an ocean away, these two could smell a death in the family, even if it hadn't really happened after all. Neither of them could resist a bit of melodrama, a bit of an operatic situation. Those God forsaken twins had a special way of making themselves known, even behind the door. 

"Cousins" Charlie started off by saying, opening the door himself. He'd gained some weight, but was still pale, and the glisten in the twins' eyes was enough to tell him just how sick he looked. Recovery wasn't easy, but he'd rather kill himself than actually give those two the satisfaction of preparing his body to be buried. If he was to die, it would be when they were back in America, where they belonged. 

"Charles" both the figures said. They were both incredibly attractive, as were the rest of the cousins; however, Dominic and Louise Cormier-Shelby were cut from a different cloth, with skin closer to Bunny's, and firey-red hair, a deep auburn tone inherited from their mother. Despite not being pale by any standards, they always wore gloves, heavy black trenchcoats, and sunglasses. 

"It is... wonderful to see you in such good health" Louise stated, looking anything but pleased. In fact, Charles was pretty sure he had never seen her pleased in the days of her life, and the same thing was true for her brother. 

"Indeed" Dominic added, uselessly. God, they were weird, and exhausting. 

"Yeah, great, come on in" Charles offered, stepping aside, and already looking for Billy. He was their brother, he would probably know what to do with the unwelcome guests. 

"Charles, where are the rest of our dearest cousins?" Louise asked, looking around, while removing her huge hat, trenchcoat and gloves. "And our sweet brother William?"

That was something else: Billy was not sweet by any standards, not to mention older than those two creatures. But they insisted in treating him like a child, which would explain and justify if he hated them. Except he didn't: he had true love for his half-siblings, and they for him. 

"I'll... I'll give him a call. In the meanwhile, I want you to meet my fiancé" Charles announced, smiling for the first time since seeing the twins. 

"Ah, yes, mother did tell us about that" Dominic informed, displaying the slightest bit of curiosity. 

"And when is the cerimony?" Louise asked, following Charlie to the drawing room, where Talia had set up camp with a book an acquaintance sent from Spain. 

"We don't have a date yet, but you'll get your invitation with plenty of time" the owner of the house said, trotting along the corridor, wishing nothing more than to get somewhere where other beings were, in case the twins displayed any sort of murderous intent toward him. "Did you speak to Karl?"

"No, we haven't actually. We are, however, ever so delighted to be here for his matrimony with dear Mary-Lou" Louise informed, despite never having set eyes on Karl's fiancé. "Mother was devastated for not being able to be present, but she isn't doing all that well since... well, since..."

There it was, Charles thought, the first sign of humanity. Arthur Shelby was a difficult man, but his death had left behind four people who adored him beyond comprehension: his wife Autumn, his sons Billy and Dominic, and daughter Louise. Autumn Cormier had fled Birmingham the same day she'd buried her husband, unable to stay where everything reminded her of him. Billy chose to stay, but the twins felt the same, and wanted to return to New Orleans. Sadly, it didn't seem like Autumn would outlive her late husband much longer. 

"I know" Charlie took pity on her, patting her on the shoulder as she took off her sunglasses, and her brother did the same. 

"Well, she wishes she were here, and sends all her love to all of you" Dominic ended the sentence for his sister, taking her arm and interlacing it with his. 

"I wish she was here as well" Charlie said, stopping before knocking on the drawing room's door. He had genuine affection for his aunt Autumn, the bounty hunter, who had always stood up for herself, and who always laughed at the dirty jokes anyone made. 

"Come in" Talia's voiced replied from the inside, and only then did Charles open the door, his face opening up in a wide smile, as it always did when he saw his adored fiancé. It was obvious he was head over heels, even the emotionless twins could see it, clear as day. What they could also see was the way the young woman smoothed her dress over her stomach, as if she was trying to make sure something was well hidden. As fot what that something was, it wasn't hard to guess. 

"Talia, I've two people I'd like for you to meet: this is Dominic, and this is Louise, and they're my cousins, Billy's siblings" Charlie informed, allowing the twins to approach Talia, always carefully observing everything that was going on. However, it soon became obvious the two sinister beings weren't about to attack Talia; what was more, he knew he could trust them with the secret represented by her last name. "Dominic and Louise, this is Talia Solomons, my fiancé"

"Miss Solomons, it is an honour beyond words to make your acquaintance" Dominic uttered, taking Talia's hand, bowing deeply, and placing a kiss on the air right above her knuckles. "Me and my sister are delighted to finally meet the woman who captured Charles' heart"

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine, and please call me Talia" Talia replied, in absolute disbelief. Had Charlie really said these were Billy's siblings? If they were, was everyone sure that they shared a father? They couldn't be more different: Billy had golden hair and fair skin, while these two had tan skin, deep-red hair, and impecable manners. 

"I make my brother's words my own, dear Talia: it is marvelous to meet you" Louise echoed, shaking Talia's hand. "And I understand congratulations are in order" she added, looking at the ring on Talia's finger, and stealing a glance at her stomach, which didn't go unnoticed. 

"Thank you, so much" the Spaniard said, exchanging a nervous look with Charles. He seemed to trust the twins, but her pregnancy was a well kept secret, only shared with Karl, Bunny, and Mary-Lou. The newcomers, seemed to be able to see right through her, though, and it was mildly unsettling. 

Out of nowhere, the door opened with a loud bang, and William Shelby himself entered the room, tripped on the carpet, composed himself, and hugged his twin siblings so hard their bones cracked, all before uttering a single word. 

"Oh, I really did think I heard your voices, but I couldn't believe it" Billy ended up saying, still holding his brother and sister way too close to his body. "Ah, I missed you! So much, you two, so fucking much"

"William" both twins said, their voices struggling to come out, due to them being absolutely crushed under their brother's affection. "How do you do?"

"Much better, now that I've laid eyes on you. Only Karl's wedding would be able to drag you from your mortuary, eh?"

"Indeed" Louise said, thankfully freed from the chokehold. 

That made a lot of sense to Talia, who had indeed thought about something of the sort, on account of the black clothing and somber demeanours. The contrast between them and Billy could not be more stark, but they obviously loved each other. It seemed like the already lively family would only become better with the addition of those two cousins. 


	28. African Violet

"And when are you planning on... hm. Getting married?" Louise asked, pristinely sitting on the sofa, legs crossed at the ankle. 

"Well, I'm not sure about that. I've been just... enjoying the engagement and..." Billy replied, looking down at his hands in a display of contrition that was anything but usual in him. What was even less common was the absence of the trembling of his hands, omnipresent due to his use and abuse of cocaine. 

"We've been waiting for the day he comes home to tell us he's changed his mind" Charlie chuckled, patting his cousin on the shoulder. "But no, so far he hasn't, and it's been two months. I'm already coming to terms with having to host a third wedding here"

"I've told you, we don't want a big party or anything like that. No need to host a party, we're just gonna go to the church and get it done" Billy informed, a small smile appearing on his handsome features. He truly was happy, he truly was overwhelmed with the sort of happiness he'd only seen with his father Arthur, and his stepmother Autumn. That was the whole reason he had never considered marriage, at least not until he found someone who made him feel the way he knew his father felt for the American-born bounty hunter, and her for him. 

"Fair enough, cousin. You know you're free to do whatever it is, we just want you to be happy" Bunny uttered, happily sipping on a glass of white wine. She was still reeling from the previous night, when she had climbed the outside of the convent, and infiltrated the nighttime mass, only to see the one novice she favoured lately: a tall, skinny girl, with long brown hair and eyes as deep as the ocean, with a body that made it all the more sad that she had to wear an ugly religious uniform.

"Thank you. I am happy, and I think I'm only getting happier. I think marriage will suit me well" Billy said, stretching his back. "Alayah is an outstanding woman, isn't she?"

"She truly is. And I'll be honest, she sings like she's trying to break every glass on every cupboard in Birmingham" Birdie laughed, remembering the only time she'd gone to one of Alayah Black's shows. She sang at two of Billy's clubs, and gathered quite a crowd whenever she was on stage. Not only was she gorgeous, but she also had a way of saying every word as if she was suffering deeply, which lended great depth to the most casual of lyrics. It had, obviously, been love at first sight for poor Billy, who had to work extremely hard to win the heart of the songbird. 

"We look foward to meeting her, dear William" Dominic stated, speaking for both him and his sister, as usual. "And we look forward to seeing Karl"

"He's in London today, with Lou. But they should be here tomorrow. It's their wedding day, after all, they have to be present" Birdie replied, happy to know her eldest cousin and young expecting bride would be making it official sooner rather than later. Lou was starting to show, and people in Birmingham were still not very open-minded when it came to pregnancy out of wedlock. 

"One would expect that, obviously" Louise agreed, eyeing her own oxblood-coloured nails. She had been trying to find a way to ask Talia, Charles' fiancé, if she was expecting a child. but the oportunity didn't seem to be easy to come by. It would be nothing but a confirmation, given that the girl kept on fussing with her clothes, in order to make sure her stomach was hidden. 

"You know what would be great? If Karl had allowed us to give him a stag party" Charles pittied, taking a big sip of his whisky. "I don't even know why he said he didn't want one" 

"For fear that I'd be the one organising it" Billy chuckled, being forced to admit he would take every oportunity to shove a well-made pair of breasts on Karl's face, just to see his reaction. Billy himself had appreciated that sort of thing, before he met Alayah. Now, he did like it, as long as it was her well-made pair of breasts. Monogamy was a foreign concept for Billy, but he was discovering that it had its benefits, and very little in terms of detriments: even if a girl did catch his eye, he quickly realised that Alayah was not only more attractive, but also more stylish and less likely to give him the clap. 

"I wonder why he would be scared of that" Talia sarcastically said. She didn't want to say anything, but she had a bad feeling about miss Alayah Black. For starters, she should've arrived half an hour ago, a fact Billy had most certainly noticed, but chose to ignore. Sure, Alayah was beautiful, and Billy was positively smitten; but she was also very flakey, and would bail on Billy more times than not. Strangely enough, she'd been the only one to actually noticed the flaws of the singer: everyone else loved watching her perform, and loved her by proxy. If the Spaniard had any say in the matter, Billy wouldbe forced to see the woman for what she most certainly was: a gold digger, who had bewitched Billy Shelby with her voice, and forced him to propose to her. 

"Oi, don't even say anything, Solomons; you're also engaged, and you need to get going with planning, so I can give Charles the stag party to end all stag parties" Billy threatened, knowing very well that Talia could not care less about whatever it was that happened at a stag party. Charles was fiercely loyal to the Spanish girl, to the point where it was scary. 

"Oh, come on, why should Charlie have all the fun? I want a stag party of my own, with all the burlesque dancers you can find" Talia joked, pitying the water she had been forced to drink, instead of her usual wine. 

"You want that? I can make it happen. Just make sure to invite Bunny there, she loves a good burlesque" Billy teased, winking at Bunny, who had a very visible bite mark on her neck, already going purple. 

"I love burlesque" Bunny dreamily said, already seeing herself surrounded by naked dancers, feathers scattered across whatever venue Billy chose. "And I love a good stag party. There's always someone with a lonely sister in need of some attention" 

"What do you say, Dominic? Louise? Would you be down for a bit of earthly fun?" Bunny asked, looking at the two mortitians. "Is there burlesque in New Orleans?"

"Oh, there sure is. The best in the world. Or so I'm told" Louise replied with a sneaky smile. "We got good jazz, and good dancers" 

"We do" Dominic agreed, the same smile on his face. "New Orleans is the world capital of fun, if you ask us" 

"And do you have fun, cousins?" Birdie asked, not able to imagine those two brooding figures at a club, or even a restaurant. 

"Occasionally" Dominic confessed, trying not to laugh at Louise's bad attempt at a jab. "I do like my fun, and so does my honorable sister"

"Indeed" Louise agreed, and the two shared a knowing smile. None of them were about to tell their cousins what it was that they did for fun, but it was fun to give them the small hints that could get their bains going. In truth, what the twins did was only vaguely sordid: the two of them attended sex clubs often, and always together, when there were no bodies at their establishment. 

* * *

"Billy..." 

"I know. I know what you're gonna say. I know everything, I know that... Fuck. Fuck! God fucking damn, fuck, damn, shit, shit..." Billy screamed, at the top of his lungs, before collapsing to the floor and starting to cry, arms around his knees. "Fuck..."

"I am so sorry" Talia said, sitting down on the ground next to him and wrapping a friendly arm around his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, mate"

"Me too. I'm fucking sorry, too. Sorry for being so stupid, for being so naive. I gave her everything, Solomons. I gave her fucking everything, everything she wanted, every bit of me, every bit of... shit" Billy sobbed, absolutely destroyed. "The money is irrelevant, I don't give a fuck about that. But I thought... for a moment I fucking thought that I could have it, you know? That I could have what Charlie has, what Karl has... I wanted a wife, I wanted a girl of my own. I wanted to stop paying whores to moan when I touch them, and I wanted to come home and have someone to share a bed with. I didn't want to be so fucking lonely"

"I know" Talia admitted, pursing her lips. She had an inkling Bunny knew it too, but none of them had wanted to meddle. Billy looked so happy, despite the fact that Alayah never made it to the family dinners she was invited to. Besides, she was entirely too spoiled, always wanting more jewels and new dresses, or new decor for her dressing room. But this day had been different: Billy had gone to get her, and had seen her house completely empty, with a note addressed to him, saying she had gone to Paris, to marry an aristocrat she'd met the night before. As the good gold digger she was, that sort of proposal was irresistible. 

"How? Tell me, how do I fall in love with someone who genuinely loves me, for me, and not for my money? What do I have to do to find someone like you, or like Lou?" Billy asked, desperate for any kind of advice. 

"I don't know. I truly don't know" she replied, shaking her head. It truly hadn't crossed her mind to marry and have kids, until Charlie came along and swept her off her feet, in more ways than one. It didn't mean she was going to give up the business side of her, or gang activities; it simply meant she belonged to two different worlds. 

"I want... I want to... I reckon I just want to... want to..." Billy stuttered, hoping and praying that none of his cousins chose that moment to come looking for him and Talia. "I want to understand. I want to... why me? Why would she do this to me? Make me fall in love with her, only to... to..."

"Come on, don't think too much about that. She picked you 'cause you're the only single male in this family, and she wanted the money" Talia explained, taking a deep breath. She adored Billy, she saw him as a male version of herself; and to see him destroyed in this way was a bit like being reminded of what she had been through with Charlie's injury and subsequent coma. It was the very last thing she wanted to remember, or to see a loved one go through. 

"I'm so stupid for falling for that" 

"No, you're not. She's good at what she does, and I bet this isn't the first time she's done something like this. Now, it's up to you to recover, and go back to being the Billy we know and love, who sets up orgies just for the hell of it" Talia laughed, fully aware that she herself would have attended such an event, if it wasn't for her own relationship and commitment. Shit, Billy changed a fair bit, but then agaib so did she. 

"I absolutely should do that. Nothing that a good pounding won't solve, eh?" Billy chuckled, feeling slightly less miserable. Talia had that effect on him, and he would've gladly fallen in love with her, if Charles hadn't beat him to the punch. "You have a sister?"

"Me? A sister? Nah, mate. I'm an only child" Talia informed, leaning back on her forearms, and taking in the cold night air. "We'll find you someone, don't worry. There's no rush, you're young and your cock is still gonna work for a few more years"

"I fucking hope so. Fucking Alayah, making me miss out on so much ass..." Billy muttered, sounding much more like himself. If he wanted to use sex as an escape route, Talia would be fine with that, as long as he wasn't contemplating suicide. "How stupid is monogamy? How utterly idiotic is the idea of only fucking one person for the rest of your damn life?"

"I find it ridiculous too, but not as ridiculous as my complete willingness to go ahead and do it" Talia confessed, looking down at her engagement ring, and placing her hands on her stomach. "I guess sex is just that good with Charlie"

"That all it is?" Billy enquired, wondering if his wife was the girl he'd fucked in Amsterdam one time, and who had been the greatest lay of his life. 

"Well, no. I don't know how to explain it, though. It's more like... wanting to share my life with him. Wanting him to be the father of my children, and the person who's there to hear my good news, and my bad news. It's not even complicated, but it's hard to describe"

"Someone you want to share your life with, eh? Fair enough, that's what I shall look for" the Blinder leader ended up agreeing, pledging to himself not to stop looking until he found exactly that. "Maybe we should go inside" 

"Maybe"


	29. Imperial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for suicide mentions

As had become usual, Kitty was the one playing the bridal march on the organ of the church, while Mary-Lou made her way down the aisle. Karl was forbidden by tradition to see his bride approaching him, but Charles and Billy, his best men, could vouch for the beauty of the bride. She had a veil, she had a bouquet, and the ivory satin of the dress she'd chosen complimented her body perfectly, all the while being demure enough to conceal the new life she lovingly carried in her womb. It was a bit of torture to be looked at by the fifty people who were at the church, but focusing on Karl's steady figure, making sure to only think of how handsome he surely looked if only he turned around, made it all a bit better. 

"Oh my god, you look perfect" Karl finally let out, once his bride was next to him, and he was able to look at her, to try and take in how gorgeous she looked, how much he loved her, and how he couldn't wait for them to be married. 

"Thank you, so do you" Lou replied, lowering her eyes, blushing profusely, before handing her bouquet of wildflowers to Bunny, who was near and ready to receive them. 

Upon their request, Isaiah Jesus performed a simple cerimony, foregoing the usual mass, and saying only a few words before allowing the bride and the groom to exchange their long-awaited vows:

_"_ Mary-Louise and Karl, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?" Isaiah asked, looking at the both of them, and waiting for both to say "Yes" before continuing. "Will you honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives, and will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?" 

Again, the answers were 'yes'. 

"Lou, you first; your vows please"

"I, Mary-Louise Thomas, take you, Karl Thorne, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life" Lou said, confident for once, the words coming through her tears, her eyes focused on Karl, who couldn't look away from her either. 

"I, Karl Thorne, take you, Mary-Louise Thomas, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life" Karl replied, in kind and in earnest, allowing the tears in his eyes to flow down his cheeks. No one inside that church could believe what they were seeing, used to having the oldest cousin silent and stoic under any circumstance. 

"Lou and Karl, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. It is with these in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife.You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more.But today the feeling is new.No longer simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife and can now seal the agreement with a kiss. Today, your kiss is a promise. Karl, you may finally kiss your bride"

* * *

"I love you, and our baby, so much" Karl whispered in his wife's ear, during their mandatory first dance. Charlie and Bunny had insisted, and Kitty had even composed a waltz on the piano for them, so it was impossible to refuse. Equally, this allowed Karl to lay a loving hand on her stomach, without it raising any eyebrows. 

"I love you too, and so does the little one. I'm so happy you're finally my husband, and that I'm your wife" Lou responded, looking up at him and receiving a soft kiss on the lips. "Now the baby can arrive without anyone saying anything"

"No kidding" he chuckled. "What do you think? Boy or girl?" 

"I'll take either, to be honest. Lucky enough we already have names for both" 

"You sure about that?" Karl enquired, looking around and seeing his mom, beaming with pride. "I can't say I wouldn't like that, but if you have other ideas..."

"I don't, love. I want Ada for a girl, and Frederick for a boy. I'm sure" Lou guaranteed, seeing the infinite joy in her husband's eyes. It meant the world to him to name his child after his mom, or his dad, the man he didn't remember, but who he knew well enough to know he was a good man, a man his mother had loved beyond any conceivable words. "And maybe Polly as a middle name, after your auntie?"

"Yeah, yeah, that works for me" Karl assured, fully ready to start the rest of his life, with Lou by his side, and their child. He was enjoying the pregnancy, but couldn't wait to meet the baby. Without them even realising, Kitty's soft ballad ended, and everyone clapped, more for the youngest of the girls than for the happy couple, who had obviously left that room a long time ago, lost in each other, and in the happiness of that very antecipated moment. 

All the while, Charlie parleyed with Henry Miller, who was more than excited to hear about Talia's pregnancy. 

"Well, the situation with her is far less severe than Lou's; I do feel comfortable recommending one of my colleagues here in Birmingham, whereas with Lou... well, it's a delicate situation, she's very fragile and needs very special care. Talia is strong, healthy, and although she's been through a lot, I'm confident everything will go smoothly" Birdie's husband guaranteed, accepting a glass of whisky provided by Charles. 

"Good, good, I really didn't want her to have to make the trip to London more times than necessary for her business" Charlie confessed, looking at his fiancé from a distance. "You reckon she looks well?"

"She does, mate, she really does: rosy cheeks and a healthy bodyweight" Henry stated, also looking at Talia, who was thoroughly entertained by the twins, who seemed to be telling her about the embalming process. "Besides, it's obvious that she's crazy about you"

"Yeah?" Charlie blushed, grinning smuggly. "I'm crazy about her, that much I know. Can't really wrap my head around... you know: the ring on her finger, the baby... damn it, she's mine. She really is mine, mine to spoil rotten, mine to protect and love..."

"I know how you feel" Henry smiled, thinking about his own wife, about her radiance, about the glow she would surely sport when the time came for them to start a family. "It's like, everyday when I wake up and Birdie is sleeping next to me, I still can't believe it's true, and not a dream. I used to dream about it, back when I was at Cambridge, so it doesn't really feel real, you know? Never gets old, I'll tell you that much"

"Pretty sure it doesn't, agreed" Charlie responded, sipping on his champagne. He could see Talia and her glass of water, and he knew she was fuming over not being able to drink wine. The only thing stronger than her love for alcohol was her love for her child, and recent studies were adamant about the dangers of alcohol for babies. "You don't happen to know a single girl who'd be good for our Billy? He looks next to miserable"

"Truth be told, mate... I don't know what to make of Billy" Henry conceded, both their eyes shifting from Talia, to Billy, who hadn't even cheered up with the visit of his twin siblings, or with the presence of a couple of local girls who were clearly pining for him. "That shit with the singer, it would break any man. And he needs his time to recover, needs to get himself together, before we can ship him off to a good girl"

"The sooner the better, before he drinks himself to death" Charlie agreed, observing his sister Ruby chatting to Bunny. They couldn't be more different, and to even imagine the arrogant and posh Ruby, and the self-assured troublemaker Bunny were related, would be a bad joke. "I'd say the same for Bunny, but her... inclinations aren't exactly conducive to marriage"

"No worries there, mate; my dads are pretty much married, and it wouldn't be a paper that would make them more commited" Henry countered, speaking from the experience of having the best upbringing possible, despite the unconventional union of Bonnie and Michael. 

"True" Charlie was saying, when Kitty approached them, her whole face bright red. "Kit, that song was so pretty, you did so well"

"Thanks" the young girl beamed, composing her dress over her knees, before looking up at Henry and Charlie, with a vaguely confused look on her face. "I uh... I came to tell you that... Hm"

"What is it, pet?" Henry asked, having special esteem for his youngest sister-in-law, as she always looked lost, and as if she was in desperate need for help finding her way in the world. 

"It's Billy" Kitty simply stated, letting out a deep breath. "He's decided to go to the roof, and uh..." 

"Oh for fucks sake..." Charlie started, pretty sure of what would follow, and already trotting behind Kitty, ready to find his cousin's lifeless body on the floor. But no, Billy hadn't decided to end his life; he was simply lying down on the tiles, firing his revolver into the cold night air, scaring a few of the guests who had gone out to take in the night. Needless to say, the head of the Peaky Blinders was off his rocker with cocaine, and not even Birdie's calming presence seemed to help much: the young woman was sitting next to him, trying to take the gun, but Billy didn't let her. 

"It's official: he's gone mad" Kitty stated, looking up at her sister and cousin. Charlie almost laughed at the irony of the girl who had frequent blackouts calling someone else mad, but it was what it was: Billy's sobriety was officially over, and the snow business could expect a generous boost sooner rather than later. Regardless of any psychological issues that could be at play, the first thing to do would be to stop the shooting, get Billy off of drugs, and resume the party, before either the bride or the groom felt as if their party was ruined. 

"Anything I can do to help?" Henry asked, mentally going through what he had on hand, which unluckily didn't include sedatives. He did have Birdie's medicine, the one that stop her from convulsing, but this wasn't a comparable situation, it was somehow more and less severe, at the same time. 

"William, what in good heavens are you doing?" Louise asked, emerging from the front door, followed suit by her twin brother, and by Talia, who had surely heard the shots long ago, but had somehow decided it wasn't cause for concern. In truth, she'd recognised the sound of Billy's weapon, and deduced he'd simply decided to have his fun, given that there were no shots fired in response. 

"Louise? Louise, take me to be embalmed and buried" Billy replied, whining like a little baby. Turns out, it wasn't cocaine: it was licquor, in ungodly amounts. 

"We can't, brother; you're not dead" Dominic replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest and sighing. "Besides, it's dear Karl's wedding"

"I'm bored" Bunny's voice echoed from a nearby tree, denouncing her presence in their little family drama. "Billy, you're boring me. Try and shoot someone for real, or else I'm going back inside" 

"BUNNY!" Birdie let out, shocked by her sister's attitude. 

"What? He asked me out here to watch him shoot an apple from the roof, but so far, all he's done is shoot at stars" Bunny lamented, showing them the glossy red apple she was holding. 

"Bunsy, I'm trying, doll, alright? I really am" Billy assured, pointing the gun at the sky yet again, and shooting multiple times. 

The scene that followed was somehow even more chaotic: Birdie let out a yelp, followed by a loud scream, and was forced to sit down on the rooftiles, at the same time Talia Solomons showed up behind Billy, without him noticing, and stabbed him in the neck at full force with a shiny object. The young man let out a screech, but couldn't do much more, as he fell backwards, and remained absolutely still. 

"Oh mother of God, what has she done?" Dominic let out, displaying as much emotion as he was capable of. His sister Louise did her best to say something, but failed, falling to the ground, completely unconscious. 

"Tranquilizer" Talia informed, sitting on the edge of the roof, legs dangling off the edge, a huge needle in her hand. "He'll be fine, just take him away and hide any weapons"

"I'll tell you this much: no one, and I mean no one, could ever accuse us of having boring weddings" Karl announced from the main door, denouncing his presence throughout the whole event. "Am I right?"


	30. Carmine

The cries of the newborn echoed through the walls of the home, bouncing off the furniture, and arriving to the ears of those gathered to meet the baby. A boy, a healthy, gorgeous baby boy, born in the early hours of a new day, the day his godfather was set to walk down the aisle. Charles Shelby, the doting godfather in question, was amongst the visitors, as well as his bride, Talia Solomons, who was expecting her own child, who shouldn't be long either. 

"A boy? Oh my god, a boy!" Billy celebrated, already half-way done with the bottle of gin he'd brought for them to celebrate. "Let us see him, go on, man!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll have Karl bring him down" Ada beamed, every bit the proud, first-time grandma she was meant to be. 

"And how's Lou?" Bunny asked, hoping and praying there were no reasons for them to mourn such a happy day. 

"She's shaken, but alright" Ada added, allowing herself to take deep breaths. She shared Bunny's concern, but it didn't seem necessary: Lou was strong and in fantastic spirits, although thoroughly exhausted by the long labour. "I'll see what I can do to get the little one down here, but I don't know if his parents are going to want to let anyone else hold him"

"Understandable" Charlie agreed, his hand gently placed over Talia's stomach, now round and full of activity. "I don't think I'll want to either, when it's my own baby"

"I sure as hell won't" Talia followed, her own palm on top of Charlie's. "You sure we shouldn't postpone the wedding?"

"Absolutely not. You're already having the smallest wedding I've ever seen, and you've waited long enough" Ada protested, knowing very well there was a much better reason for them not to postpone anything, one that would make that day even better than it already was. 

Slow and steady, someone was coming down the stairs, and that someone turned out to be Karl, the baby's father, with copious tears already drying on his cheeks. One look at him was enough to understand he was so happy he couldn't even comprehend what he was feeling, all eyes for the small bundle in his arms, which cooed from time to time. alerting everyone for its presence. 

"Is that him? Is that the baby?" Kitty squealed, eyes sparkling with excitement. Karl nodded, looking at his son, trying very hard not to cry again, now that he had finally been able to stop. "Can I hold him?"

"Yeah, of course you can, here you go" Karl agreed, handing the little one to Kitty, who took him with all the care possible, eyes the size of saucers. "Lou is sorry for not coming down, but Birdie says she needs to rest. The baby has already nursed, so she can recover"

"That's completely alright, tell her not to worry" Charlie assured, looking at his watch. Time was of the essence. 

* * *

The elegant car made its way to the courtyard, and stopped right in front of the door. Charlie stepped out of the house, just in time to see a broody figure emerge from the vehicle, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a coat, and a dishevelled white shirt. The white and grey in his beard made him even more threatening, but the eyes, hidden behind thick spectacles, were entirely too familiar. The very same man went around the car, and oppened the other door, reappearing promptly with a woman, much shorter and much thinner than he was, but not less imposing, with her long blonde hair and expressive eyes. 

"I take it you're Charles" the man said, or, better yet, barked at him, looking at him over the eyeglasses, and making Charlie feel five years old. 

"I am. Mr. Solomons, it's uh... an honour to finally meet you. And mrs. Solomons, of course" the young man replied, looking at Talia's parents, trying to smile, trying to be nice, trying not to fuck up, trying to impress them. 

"Likewise. You do look a lot like your father, eh?" Alfie Solomons spoke, shaking the boy's hand, and almost crushing it. 

"So I've been told" Charlie conceded, taking Ivy Solomons' hand and shaking it as well. "Thank you so much for coming. It'll be a small celebration, only people we trust and love, and I know it will mean the world for Talia to have you here"

"Any chance we could see her?" Ivy asked, looking around, pretty sure she would explode if she didn't get to see her only child in the next few moments. 

"Yes, of course, right this way. I'll have someone take your bags" Charlie signaled one of the footmen, and then turned around to show the couple to the drawing room. 

Talia had taken to reading about children, and on how to raise them properly, and how to care for their health. Instead of preparing for her wedding like any other bride, that was what she was doing, when someone knocked on the door, and it opened, to reveal the biggest surprise of her life: her parents, whom she hadn't seen in almost two years, standing right there, all the way from Spain. 

"Would you look at you" Alfie roared, smiling as much as he possibly could, opening his arms to receive his daughter, who held on to him so tightly he couldn't breathe. Her mother was next, crying tears of happiness, undecided on whether she wanted to look at her daughter, feel her baby bump, or stare at her engagement ring. 

"I can't believe you're here, holy shit" Talia sobbed, happier than ever before. "I missed you so much, so much..."

"And we missed you, sweetheart. but we're here now" Ivy replied, settling on allowing her daughter to place her hands on her bump, letting her feel her grandchild kicking with all the excitement. 

* * *

Avan Jogia as Isaac

The boy was smuggly staring at her, and she was halfway done with being oggled like that. Kitty wasn't used to receiving that much attention from the male species, on account of them knowing exactly who would gun them down if she got her heart broken. He was probably her age, and she did have to admit he was good-looking, in the tall, dark, and handsome category. 

"Hey, I'm Isaac. You've any idea how long until this party starts?" 

"Do I know you?" Kitty asked, crossing her arms and sticking out her chin. She was determined to be on her best behaviour, but she didn't like it when people approached her out of nowhere, even if they were attending the same event.

"Now you do. Im Isaac Berg, Ollie Berg's grandson. You?"

"I'm Kitty Shelby" she informed, putting on her best impression of a dignified young lady who is being bothered by some troublemaker. He was a very pleasant-looking flirt, but a flirt nonetheless, and a girl from a good family like she was couldn't be seen being sweet-talked to by someone like that. 

"Groom's side, then? That's nice. It's a nice house" Isaac admired, looking around the room. "You live here too?"

"No, I live with my parents, at my own house" she informed, daring to take a look at what this boy was wearing, which turned out to be a tasteful tuxedo. 

"Ah, that's also good" he deemed, smiling at her, making her knees slightly weak. "Will you save a dance for me? After the cerimony, I mean?"

"I don't think there will be dancing after thee wedding; Charlie and Talia just want to sign the papers and have a dinner" Kitty responded, half relieved, half disappointed. Deep down, she was hesitating due to the simplest of facts: she didn't know when, but since most new people who met her started chanting her nickname at her, she was waiting for him to do the same. 

"Too bad, miss Shelby, too bad. I would've been honoured to dance with you" Isaac confessed, putting the final nail in Kitty's coffin of composure, making her blush profusely, and smile behind her hand. 

"Maybe next time?" she suggested, as the sparse guests were led to the ballroom, where the cerimony would take place. 

"Well, miss Shelby... if I'm lucky, the next time will be at our own wedding" he cheekily said, before bowing politely, and turning around to follow his grandparents and parents into the ballroom, leaving Kitty wondering what the hell had just happened to her, or if she had imagined the whole thing. 

* * *

"Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. We gather here today to celebrate the wedding of Talia and Charlie. You have come here to share in this formal commitment they make to one another, to offer your love and support to this union, and to allow NAME and NAME to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them. So welcome to one and all, who have traveled from near and far. Talia and Charlie thank you for your presence here today and now ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their decision to be married"

For once, it wasn't Isaiah Jesus who married the two of them, but rather his father, Jeremiah, who had insisted, despite his frail age, to perform the ceremony. After all, he'd married Charlie's parents, and it was only right that he did the same for their son, whom he was sure was still very loved by both Tommy and Grace, wherever they were. 

"Will you, Charlie, take this woman to be your wedded wife?"

"I will" Charlie promised, eyes fixed on his bride's, not even crying anymore, as enthralled as he was in that moment, in saying each and every word right, to make sure it was real, that it was done right, and that she knew his whole heart, body and soul were hers. 

"Will you, Talia, take this man to be your wedded husband?"

"I will" Talia replied, smiling at Charlie, happily pledging to be his, even if he didn't speak very good Spanish, and even if he could be an arrogant bastard at times. She loved him, and he loved her, and forever was only right. 

"Very good. If you'd repeat after me, then..." 

""I, Talia, take thee, Charlie to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself to you."

"I, Charlie, take thee, Talia, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself to you."

"May I have the rings, please?" Jeremiah asked, looking around for either Karl or Billy, the groomsmen, who surely had the two rings. It ended up being Billy who had them, and who handed them over after making a spectacle of having lost them in the many pockets of his tuxedo. "Without the clownery, William"

"Please repeat after me: I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you"

"I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you" Talia said in accordance, sliding the gold ring onto Charlie's finger, taking her time admiring just how gorgeous it looked on those hands she already adored. 

" I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you" Charlie followed, thankful that the ring fit, and paired perfectly over-top the engagement ring he'd given Talia. 

"Alright, then. By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss each other" Jeremiah finally allowed himself a smile, remembering the look on Thomas Shelby's face when he had been authorised to kiss Grace Burgess. His son looked so much like him, and as much in love with his new wife, as he kissed her softly. 


	31. Naples Yellow

The dessert had already been served, and several guests had left the table, to go outside, or visit the rest of the house. Amongst the ones still sitting down, was Kitty, who had been silent throughout the whole dinner, focused on her food, forcing herself not to look up, in case _he_ was also looking at her. If she had, however, beaten her hesitation, she would have seen just that: not a stare, but a couple of lingering looks, when _he_ couldn't look away any more. 

Birdie, with her all-seeing eyes, had picked up on the situation, and had turned to her mom to say something, but had ended up deciding not to do it; Kitty was shy by nature, scared by the world around her, which had been cruel to her, and she would hate to see her privacy invaded in such a way. It was most likely just a little flirt, which would end in a heated make-out session somewhere secluded, and then they'd both go their merry ways, no harmed feelings. It was, actually, the same exact way Birdie had lost her virginity, so maybe she was projecting onto her sister.

From the other side, it had been Talia who had realised Ollie's grandson, the apple of his grandfather's eyes, seemed smitten by the youngest of the three girls, Kitty. The girl really was very pretty, and had an aura of sweetness around her that drew people in, despite the peculiar blackouts she was prone to when pushed outside her patience. But Isaac himself, bright and unusually good at balancing books, wasn't without his quirks, most of them beyond anyone else's comprehension, such as checking the time every five minutes. 

"You up to playing matchmaker?" the bride said, scaring Birdie half to death. 

"You mean...?"

"You saw it too, right? I can vouch for him, he's a good kid" Talia informed, keeping Isaac under surveillance, and sure Birdie was doing the same with Kitty. 

"Well, I'm sure he is, but I... I don't want her to get her heart broken. I did when it was me in her situation" Birdie confessed, sucking in her cheeks to try and maintain composure. Despite being happily married, and madly in love with Henry, she didn't like being reminded of Lawrence, and even less of the river of tears she'd shed over something so ridiculous. "What if she does something she ends up regretting?"

"Well, when I said play matchmaker, I didn't mean as in a one night thing. I'm saying I made damn sure he would be here so that he could meet Kitty" the Spanish girl said, making Birdie's jaw drop. "Don't look at me like that, you know I wouldn't do it unless I really thought they'd be a good fit"

"She's sixteen" Birdie protested, as silently as she could. 

"He's seventeen. They don't need to get married tomorrow, Birdie; I just thought they'd like each other. If it turns out to be a friendship sort of thing, that's great; if they do end up where I'm at today, even better. You get my point?" Talia explained, glancing at Isaac and then at Kitty, catching the moment their gazes crossed, which caused obvious sparks, as quick as they were to look away. 

"Yeah, I do... I don't know, I worry about her. Maybe I worry too much, and I'm sure his family worries about him too. But with everything she's been through, I'd be an idiot not to try and shield her from what can happen to her, what the world can do to her" Birdie sighed, thinking to herself that time went by unjustly fast, and that Kitty was too fragile to face any more blackouts, or whatever came to pass when she had one. 

"I understand. All I can say is that he's a good kid, a kid I trust with all the secrets I have. And a kid who's kind enough for me to bring around people I know are fragile, and who I love" Talia stated, looking around the table, and seeing all the ones she loved, all the ones she would kill to protect and make sure nothing harmed them. "Let's just leave to them, eh? I just wanted to make sure you knew he wouldn't try to take advantage of her"

"Oh, it's alright, she's innocent but she's not dumb" Birdie chuckled, sipping on her whisky. "And she's perpetually suspicious of outsiders, so I dare to say that if he's interested, he's got a lot to prove before she even gives him the time of day" 

"Good girl, that's the spirit" Talia praised, recognising her own self at sixteen in that description. "Alright, I'll keep an eye on them, you do the same, and let us hope they don't run off into the night together. 

* * *

Isaac had hesitated before asking, but a look at Kitty Shelby undid his reluctance. She had said she would accept a dance, but there was no music, which made it impossible. Nevertheless, he had a brain for a reason, and there had to be some sort of radio in that house. Sure, it was strange to want to look at her, to feel sad when he didn't see her, and to want to dance with her, when he never wanted to dance before. 

"A radio? I think so. Gimme a second" Talia said, turning to Charlie, who had yet to leave her side that evening. "Do you have a radio somewhere in this house? The kid wants to dance"

"Oh my god, Talia..." Isaac let out, embarrassed enough to cover his face with his hands, blushing profusely. 

"Sure, we have a couple radios. There's one in the music room, and there's a gramophone too, with plenty of records" Charlie informed, wondering why the boy was making uch a big deal out of it. "You have the bride to thank for the lack of entertainment"

"The bride just wanted to spend time with her family, she didn't want to make a huge deal out of the wedding" Talia countered, playfully punching Charlie in the arm. "But I do have to admit I failed to consider that the younger ones might want to dance"

"You go ahead, lad, the music room is all yours. Take my cousins Kitty and Bunny, eh? They like to dance" Charlie said, without picking up on the subtext of what was happening. "Maybe Billy will go too?"

"I'll uh... I'll go tell them" Isaac said, thanking both bride and groom profusely before going to find the other Shelby cousins. He wandered around, trying not to make it exceptionally obvious that he was looking for one person, and one person only.

Even when he did find the one he wanted, he truly did take more than a minute to gain the courage to go speak to her, and vaguely ask her to accompany him to a room, which she surely would be suspicious of. Nevermind how much he liked the way her dress swayed across the floor, he couldn't possibly… he had to… It really wasn't proper, but he did feel something, something deep within him, a necessity to be around her, or to just see her. 

"Hi, it's me again, I wonder if you'd like to dance with me" Isaac Berg found himself saying to that very same girl, the same who had bewitched him earlier, the beautiful Kitty Shelby. 

"Hey, there's still no…" Kitty started. but he interrupted her, looking around for the hallway Charles had described. 

"Your cousin said that he has a music room, where we can go to dance. Would you like to?"

Kitty considered it for less time than Isaac had taken to convince himself to talk to her. and then took his arm, leading him to the aforemention room, closing the door behind her. Then, she walked up to the gramophone, and put on a random record, not caring that much what songs would be playing. 

"I'll dance with you, and I'll kiss you, as long as you promise not to tell anyone" Kitty said, turning to Isaac, who was frozen at the door, having lost every bit of courage he once had, now that he was alone with the most beautiful human being he had ever seen. 

"Look, I wasn't gonna try and kiss you, I just wanted to dance with you" Isaac replied, and Kitty actually believed him, she actually knew he was telling the truth. How, or why she knew, was a mystery, but her intuition never failed her. "I've never kissed anyone in my life"

"I haven't either! But you were looking at me throughout dinner, and I thought that was what you wanted!" Kitty protested, now completely and utterly confused. 

"I was looking at you because you're drop dead gorgeous, I never thought… I never thought you'd turn to me and say that you'll kiss me, I have never been more confused in my whole entire life!" he responded, fully exasperated now. "Do you kiss everyone who looks at you?"

"No one looks at me, unless it is to yell horrible things!" she scoffed, tears filling her eyes. 

"To... I'm sorry, what did you just say? Who yells horrible things at you? Why would anyone do that?" he asked in return, furrowed brows, his handsome features contracted in a look of shock. "Did anyone hurt you? Do you need… protection, or…"

"The people in Birmingham cal me a killer, but I don't know why they do it. They sal it over and over, until I can't take it anymore and I think I pass out, because all I see is black" Kitty confessed, hating herself for telling the stranger all those things, for spoiling the moment, for surely pushing him away. But fuck it, he asked, he wanted to know, and maybe now he wouldn't think she was pretty, which in all honesty was a bit of a sad thought. Kitty had never thought she was pretty, what with two older sisters who looked like princesses; everyone always complimented them on their looks, whereas she was complimented on her music. Up until Isaac Berg showed up out of nowhere, it was ideal, it was what she wanted. But having a handsome boy tell her she was drop dead gorgeous was a welcome addition to the general opinion about her. 

"Don't believe them. Don't believe them, eh? You are not a killer, you are an angel, you hear me? Your family clearly adores you, and I think they've good reason to. Talia asked me to be here today, and although I did have business to do, I came, simply because she told me there was someone she wanted me to meet. And I think it was you, I'm sure it was you" Isaac said, searching his suit jacket pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. "Dance with me. Dance with me, and we'll Forget about that shit, alright?"

Kitty nodded, certainly impressed with Isaac's words, and wanting nothing more than to make his words come true, to believe for a few minutes that the outside didn't exist, and that no one would ever call her a killer again. 


	32. Blush

The day after the wedding, only Talia's parents stayed in Birmingham, as all the other guests had business to attend. Not only that, but most of those attending had left important deals behind to attend the small ceremony, and couldn't delay any further. Even the bride and groom were swamped with work, what with Alfie Solomons in the country, and several lines of business that needed attending. The Solomons couple was staying in Birmingham, where no one would recognise them, until their grandchild arrived, and would then go back to Spain. Taking advantage of that extended visit, a meeting was set up, about a week after the wedding. 

"I think we could probably export to Brazil, and to the other South American countries. I don't think they've got that much production of gin, and we already source sugar for the rum from some of them" Talia was suggesting, one hand on the table, the other over her growing bump. "I know a couple of lads who wouldn't mind selling Shelby stuff where they sell their own stuff"

"That sounds reasonable enough, could you get in touch with them this week?" Charles asked, avoiding looking at his new wife, and maintaining his best business posture. 

"No worries" she replied, nodding slightly and making a note in her leather-bound notebook. "Dad, you think Sousa will pick up the phone?"

"I think he will" Alfie estimated, exchanging looks with Ollie Berg, who was seeing what he saw as well: the new generation of Shelby Brother Limited, and of Solomons Enterprises. "How's your Portuguese?"

"Could use some practice, eh? But I'll manage" Talia laughed, taking a sip of her water. 

"Good, that's settled then. What about the protection services and the nightclubs?" Ollie asked, looking at Billy Shelby, who was across from him. 

"Between us two, we've got plenty of men for the clubs, and for the VIPs who request security. I'm trying to recruit some more lads out of the army, to strengthen our ranks. I don't want us to lack resources anytime soon" Billy explained, consulting his notes, where he kept careful records of all the men at his service. "As for the lads I sent to Her Majesty, they're doing great so far, and have been giving us important intelligence, undercover"

"Her Maj... you mean you have spies with the Queen of this fucking country? Mate..." Alfie let out, receiving that information for the first time. 

"Well, Ollie helped us out a lot with that. And Talia runs security for all the diplomats who come from Spanish-speaking countries. That's how well connected we are" Billy grinned, as Talia herself laughed at her dad's shock. "We didn't like the idea of not knowing what's going on in the world, or finding out too late"

"Wars and recessions fuck up business, and that we cannot have" Talia agreed, pleased that her dad seemed proud of her. 

"We don't sell the information, though, so no harm no foul, eh?" Charlie chimed in, reviewing the checks and balances records Karl had just given him. 

"Absolutely not, well done, lads" Alfie concurred, his admiration growing by the minute. Despite his self-imposed exile, he still had his say when it came to his company, but had allowed his daughter to branch out as she seemed fit, and didn't require her to tell him everything she decided to do. She did like to deal with security and other shadier parts of the business, leaving the rum, the fights, and the bets to her dad and Ollie. 

"I have a proposition to make, and this one is to you directly, mr. Berg" Karl asked, clearing his voice, and drinking his strong black coffee, trying to stay awake despite not having slept for over thirty minutes that night. "I hear you have a grandson, called Isaac, who's a very talented accountant. I happen to have welcomed my first son very recently, and I would appreciate some help, if you could part with him for some months" 

"I'm sure Isaac would greatly appreciate coming back to the UK, after being in India for so long" Ollie mused, wondering how much convincing the boy's mother would require to part with her spawn. "I will talk to his parents, and offer him a position here. I will tell you I've great hopes for him, he truly is very gifted with numbers"

Birdie, who so far had remained silent, looked at Talia with a knowing smile, one which was promptly returned. They too really wanted Isaac to come live in Birmingham, at least for as long as it took for him and Kitty to fall for each other, even more than they already had. Oh, and of course, Karl looked exhausted, he needed help, that was the priority. 

"Good luck with Prisha" both Alfie and Talia muttered, refering to Isaac's mother, a fiercely protective woman of Indian birth, whose sole purpose in life was to marry her son to his maternal first cousin Fatima, and have him under constant surveillance twenty-four hours a day, dictating his every move. 

"Prisha needs to let go a little, let the boy come and learn" Ollie argued, already fuming with the mere mention of his daughter-in-law. "I'll deal with her"

* * *

Bunny had just returned from what she called "employee welfare checks", which was her way of saying she had gone into the legitimate Shelby businesses, drank some alcohol of suspicious provenance, chatted with the workers, taught and learned some innapropriate jokes, and promised to come around the next day, to do the very same thing. Sure, the employees seemed happy enough, and were paid well, so they had no reason to complain. 

As for her sister Kitty, she was happily feeding Anubis, her pet rat, in their house's backyard, and trying to persuade her companion to play fetch with a small safety pin. Helas, the rat refused to stoop down to such a canine level, and remained nested against his beloved owner's foot. 

"Kitty, it's lunch time, come inside" Bunny called, seeing her sister sitting on the floor. "Mom made some weird Romani stew, and wants us to..."

"Why can't I get him off my head?"

"Who?"

"Isaac. That boy, at the wedding" Kitty explained, grabbing Anubis and kissing his little head. "He asked me to dance with him, and I did, but I didn't mean to have him stuck in my brain forever" 

"Oh. Well, I guess he's not that ugly, and he seemed nice enough" Bunny responded, still not having quite understood the allure of the male gender. "So you just danced with him?"

"Yeah" her sister admitted, trying to seem as casual about it as possible, although the subject matter was anything but casual to her. "I offered to let him kiss me, but he didn't"

"Huh? You didn't kiss him? Are you sure you're my sister?" Bunny asked in disbelief, both of them knowing that they were connected by something far stronger than genetics. "Sweetie, the way he looked at you, and you at him during dinner... I would've assumed you did much more than kissing when left alone"

"Bunny!" Kitty shouted, blushing bright pink and lowering her eyes. "That's... that's not proper!"

"Oh, shut up. Who says it's not? Everone does it, although I'll be damned if I understand why someone wants a penis anywhere near them" the older sister responded, a look of clear disgust on her face. "But who am I to judge?"

"I don't... I guess we could have... but we didn't. I wish we had, though. He is... very handsome" Kitty confessed, not daring to lift up her eyes, but feeling her sister sitting in front of her. "Doesn't matter though, won't see him again, probably"

"Don't worry about it, you'll find someone like him to shag" Bunny shrugged. She too had a couple girls she wished she'd slept with, but those were the ones who appreciated men above all other things, which was sad for more reasons than one. "Doesn't need to be the kid you once flirted with at your cousin's wedding"

"I guess not. He was kind to me, told me that I was an angel and asked me if I needed protection" 

"He did? That's nice of him" the oldest admitted. So he had said all those things, and hadn't even kissed her? What kind of lad called a woman an angel, if not to fuck her? The weirdest lad, that was who. 

"Very" the youngest agreed, letting Anubis climb onto her shoulder and hide in her hair. "He left me his address, and a phone number too, but both are in India, so he's very far away"

"I'm sorry, Kit, India really is far from here" Bunny agreed, feeling sorry for her baby sister. "You wanna come with me to the breweries tomorrow? Some nice lads working there, too" 

"Sure" Kitty accepted, happy to at least be spending some extra time with Bunny, who was barely ever home. "And maybe this time I could try some gin?"

"Just a smidge, or mom will kill me" Bunny advised, grinning a bit. "Now, regardless of what I said before... that boy really did seem sweet, and although you might not see him again, you could always write to him. He could always be a good friend, you know?"

Kitty didn't want to give in, but she had to admit that a friend was better than nothing, and she didn't have many in that city. 


	33. Celadon

"Alright sweetheart, you need to breathe. Promise to breathe inbetween pushes" the nurse said, seriously hoping the patient would hear her this time. "That's it, in and out, love, you're doing amazing" 

"I'm really... I'm really not" Talia huffed and puffed, wanting nothing more than to take matters into her own hands, driven to almost-madness by the pain and the pressure her body was put through, and had been withstanding for the last ten hours. 

"Yes, of course you are, you've been incredibly brave. Come on, just a couple more pushes" Birdie encouraged, fighting the urge to stop being a nurse, to be able to just hold her friend's hand, do what she could to make up for Charles not being there. 

"I can... I can do one more" Talia estimated, her heart beating frantically, seriously hoping the baby didn't take long, as she didn't have much more strength in her. "One more"

"One more, love, that's the spirit" the other nurse agreed, getting ready for another contraction. "I can see the head, sweetheart, baby is almost here"

" _Ay joder_ " the expecting mother let out, her hand on her forehead, only now understanding the full meaning of what was happening: she was going to have a baby, she was going to be a mom, and it felt incredibly lonely for a second, before she remembered Charlie would be right there with her. He was an anchor, the good part of the gut-wrenching pain she was in.

"Perfect, here we go, one big push!" Birdie said, ready to pull out the little one at any moment. "I've got the head, lovely, give us another one"

If anything could be said, it would be that Talia Solomons took childbirth by the horns, and didn't let go until her child was fully out, and crying so loud the whole hospital heard it. Besides, and despite never feeling pain as great as that one, she was ready to call that very day the best day of her life, the day when she became a mother, and made the man she loved a father. With everything that had happened to her, with everything she had said and done, motherhood seemed as big as her fight for freedom, a miracle of her own, a small little beacon of hope in the midst of all the horror she'd experienced. 

"Congratulations! You've the most beautiful baby boy, look at how rosy he is" Birdie informed, tears in her own eyes, handing the baby to his mother, after the umbilical cord was cut, and the little one was clean. 

"A boy? _Carajo, tenemos un hijo... Holla, mi amor, que precioso eres... te quiero, te quiero mas que qualquier cosa, es tan hermoso_ " the new mother whispered, looking at her son, her features softer than ever before. "Can Charlie come meet him, now?"

"Sure" the head nurse decided, since both mother and baby were alright. She was definetly against the father attending the birth, not wanting any needless bodies of nervous energy in the room during such a risky time. But sure, they were free to meet their spawns as soon as the mother asked for them, and when everything was deemed safe. This father in particular had been pacing outside, in the hallway, not having stopped since his wife was admitted. "I'll go get him"

Charles Shelby looked like he had personally met God, after trekking all the way up to heaven, take the stairs. He was drenched in sweat, absolutely destroyed by panic and antecipation, and his well-made suit was crinckled beyond salvation. It would be humorous if it wasn't so endearing: he was the picture of a devoted husband and expecting first-time father. 

"Mr. Shelby? You can come in, now" the head nurse informed, being closely followed by Birdie, who hugged her cousin tightly as soon as she saw him. 

"Congrats, everything went amazing" Birdie said, to put him at ease, but not wanting to say anything else. Charlie himself only nodded, rehearsing a small smile, and entered the room without a word, breaking into copious sobs the second he saw Talia, holding the bundle of pale yellow blankets in her arms, looking like herself again, and radiating happiness. 

"Hi. You wanna come meet your son?" she asked, trying not to cry. She had expected her husband to be emotional, and had somewhat prepared for that, but what she couldn't antecipate was just how happy he really would be. 

"My... My... We... Our son" he babbled, almost tripping on his feet, in a rush to be by her side, to kiss her lips and forehead, making sure she was in one piece, although he wasn't. "We have a son"

"We do, _mi amor_ , look at him" Talia offered, after Charlie had sat on a chair right by the head of her bed, and seemed stable enough to hold a newborn. "He looks like you"

"Fuck, he does look like me" Charlie agreed, still crying, but slowly coming to himself, wondering what he had done right to deserve such a healthy baby, and an amazing wife. "Hi, little one, I'm your dad. I love you madly, you and your mom, I love you both so damn much..."

"Can you believe he's ours?"

"No, but then again I still can't believe you're mine" he admitted, all eyes for the baby, who had his eyes wide open, and a small fist waving in the air. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm great, I feel great. He destroyed my vagina, but apart from that, I'm doing amazing" Talia joked, chuckling slightly, and finding out it hurt to do that. 

"Shit, are you serious? Does it hurt, are you..." 

"It's normal, sweetheart, I'll recover just fine" Talia laughed, taking the time to adjust herself, so that she could be a little more comfortable. "I don't really care, he's more than worth every bit of pain" 

"Thank you so damn much, my love, really" Charlie thanked, kissing her hand. "I don't know how to thank you enough for him, you're an angel" 

"No worries. Birdie might let me go the day after tomorrow" she informed, taking a deep breath. "You reckon the nursery is good enough for him?"

"It is, I think so. He has a place to sleep, and we have the changing table and all that stuff, right?" 

"True... as for the name, I think he does look like a Thomas" she said, looking at her son, and imagining he looked just like Charlie did when he was born. There had to be some pictures in the house, and Talia vowed to find them. 

"Thomas Alfred" Charlie suggested, as his baby son wrapped a very small hand around his index finger. "And are you sure you don't want him to have your last name?"

"I am, don't worry about it. He'll have my father's name, and that's what matters. There would be too many questions if his name was Solomons, and I don't want him to go through that" Talia shrugged, as much as she could without causing herself pain. 

* * *

The rest of the family had decided to wait at the manor for news, to allow Charlie and Talia to have that moment to bond as a family, to have a moment alone with their baby before introducing him to his big family. Birdie, who had only gone to the hospital on her day off to assist with her cousin's birth, returned to the house, to relay the news, complete with gender and name as well. 

"Is everyone here? Good" she started by saying, looking around at her parents, sisters, Karl, Lou, baby Freddie, Ada, Talia's parents, Ruby and Lizzie, and a very sleep-deprived Billy. "Talia is fine, she's doing great, she was incredibly brave. The baby is as healthy as can be, and it's a boy!" 

"Oh wow! A little boy! That's incredible" Bunny said, voicing what they all were feeling. 

"You hear that, Freddie boy? You have a best friend to play with, isn't it amazing?" Lou informed her own son, who was in his father's arms, as peaceful as can be, unaware of what he was being told. "What did they name him?"

"Thomas Alfred" Birdie stated, looking at Alfie Solomons, just to see his reaction. "After their fathers, of course" 

"That's... a big responsibility" Alfie ended up admitting, not even knowing what to do with the happiness he felt. It was something as big and as daunting as when his daughter came to the world, a day he would never forget, the most grandious day of his life. What was more, he looked around, hoping to see his old friend, hoping to see in his face what his surely depicted, but it was obvious Tommy Shelby wasn't there anymore. He wouldn't meet his grandson, he wouldn't smile, knowing his name was going to continue to live. 

"Sure is, beloved, it sure is" Ivy replied to him, taking his hand and holding it inbetween her own. She knew who her husband was looking for, and it brought tears to her eyes, but it wasn't a bad thing that Tommy wasn't there in person. It was obvious to her that he was there in spirit, and had been ever since his death, looking over his son, guiding him, making sure he made the best choices. 

"When are they coming home?" Kitty asked, itching to get her hands on another baby, to cuddle him and change his diapers, and kiss his little tiny head. 

"I think maybe the day after tomorrow? I'll get Henry to go check on both of them regularly" Birdie estimated, checking her watch. Her husband was probably doing his rounds by then, and that would mean he would meet baby Thomas before long. 

* * *

The antecipation was killing her, and she was fragile to begin with. It had been a good bit since they'd seen each other, and there hadn't even been time for her first letter to reach its destination. Maybe it was better that way, because Kitty wasn't too sure about what she had written: she just wrote, put a stamp on the envelope, and had sent it, without giving it much of a thought. The moment the letter was inside the box, she freaked out, and tried to get it out, to no avail. She was still not sure if Isaac coming to Birmingham was better than him receiving the letter, though. It was, however, a piece of news that had made her heart beat very fast, and not a lot of things did that. 

"Kitty"

Her name came out of nowhere, from somewhere near the gate that led to the garden. Again, she expected it, but to be in that moment, to be inside the moment she waited weeks for...

"Hi" she replied, taking a deep breath, getting the smell of the roses and herbs that grew around her. "When did you arrive?"

"Oh, just now, actually. I uh... I went to drop off my bags, and then I went to settle in the office mr. Thorne gave me. He's a very serious man, but he's kind" Isaac said, not knowing what to do ith his hands. "He told me to take the rest of the day to get to know things around here"

"That's good. I could show you the city, if you want" she offered, trying not to chicken out of looking at him. Strangely, she thought she remembered every bit of his face, from when they danced together; but she didn't: she hadn't seen how long his lashes were, or how he tended to purse his lips when he was thinking, or admiring his surroundings. 

"I'd really like that. I wonder if there's a good tobacco shop, that sells Indian brands" he mused, looking around before lighting a cigarette with a simple gold lighter, that was surely not common in the UK. 

"There's a place that might have it, or they could order it for you" Kitty said, settling on looking at his hands, not at his face. Of course, that just led to her discovering how beautiful his hands were too, which didn't help with her predicament. Bunny had called it lust, which basically meant that what she was experiencing was a basic mamal attraction, the kind that was meant to happen for reproduction. However, and according to Bunny as well, there didn't have to be babies involved: Bunny herself felt plenty of lust, all of it toward girls, and two girls surely wouldn't make a baby. Kitty herself felt the same: she wanted Isaac, and she wanted him for whatever it was two people did together that led to babies, but she would pass on the family way for the time being. 

"Ah, good, great, thank you. I shouldn't smoke, but my dad does, and once you start... hard to quit, you know?" Isaac muttered, lighting the cigarette and breathing in the familiar smoke, hoping it would ease the nerves of being in Kitty Shelby's presence once again. He had no idea how his hands weren't shaking, but just the sight of her... just the sight of her was enough to make him want to get down on one knee and make her his wife. 

"I do, that's why I didn't start" she informed, a bit harsher than she had intended. "Nothing against it, though, I just... I'm still learning my trade, and I don't have a lot of pocket money to spend on cigarettes" why in the hell had she said that? It was true, but why had she... he didn't need to know that!

"Absolutely fair, I know what that is" he responded, looking at the flowers in bloom around them, and hearing a baby crying somewhere inside the manor. "What are you learning?"

"Law. They accepted me a bit early at Birmingham City" Kitty proudly informed. happily smiling at the thought of one day being the family company's lawyer. 

"Are you serious? Kitty, that's amazing!" he replied, proper beaming as well. "I had no idea"

"It's pretty recent, honestly. I start in September. I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself, and I absolutely cannot wait to start my classes"

"As you absolutely should be!" he agreed, smiling even more widely at her. "You're going to be a lawyer, that's incredible"

"Fingers crossed, eh?"

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" Isaac said out of nowhere, his brown eyes focusing on Kitty's blue ones, catching her by surprise. 

"I would love to" she quickly replied, nodding for emphasis. 


	34. Tawny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW

Fast as lightning, time passed: Freddie was five months old, Tommy was almost four months old, and Kitty had started her classes. She had expected to be busy, but with all the readings she had to do, busy wasn't a strong enough word. But, despite how tired she was, she had never felt happier, with the two small babies in the family, with all her family being healthy, and with Isaac Berg, who had taken her out at least five times. Sometimes, he would only be able to spend the time between her classes with her, but he actually went to the university, and took coffee and snacks with him, to make sure she had everything she needed. It wasn't even sweet, it was something beyond that, and those were the best parts of her days. 

Today was a bit different, since she didn't have school in the afternoon, and had decided to go visit her baby cousins. Freddie was sleeping in his own house, and had stayed that way for the entirety of her visit; Tommy, however, was wide awake, and allowed Kitty to hold him for a good half an hour, before he start fussing, demanding to be fed. 

" _A mi no me das miedo, señor; Kitty te quiere muchissimo, no puedes hacer eso_ " Talia said, seeing her son trying to wiggle out of the young girl's arms. " _Vamonos, chico, tienes razón, és tu hora de comer_ "

"You think he understands you?" Kitty curiously asked, observing carefully as Talia took her son and allowed him to nurse. 

"I've no idea, but I really want him to learn Spanish, so I only talk to him in Spanish. Sorry, I didn't ask if you mind me feeding him here"

"Oh, no worries at all!" the younger girl assured, seeing the baby peacefully nursing. He really did look like Charles, it was slightly disturbing. "Is he letting you and Charlie sleep?"

"Sleep? Don't know the word" Talia laughed, sighing deeply. "Charlie is another issue completely: I'll wake up in the middle of the night to feed Tommy, and I'll find him near his crib, just checking his pulse and making sure he's breathing"

"Any reason why? Is the baby sick or anything like that?" 

"Sick? No, this one is as strong as horse, _mija._ His dad is just over zealoous, you know? Don't think he's come to full terms with how lucky we are to have a healthy little one"

"I think I understand that. He's always been quite protective of all of us, and it's not surprising his own son makes him even more anxious" Kitty said, extending her legs. "Are you happy?"

"Happy is an understatement" Talia chuckled, looking down at her son with so much love it brought tears to Kitty's eyes. "I can't believe how blessed I am. Seriously, it's... it's incredible. I have my son, and my husband, and all of you guys... I got to see my parents again, they got to meet Tommy, my business s going great... everything is perfect, and althought I haven't slept much, I honestly am beaming" 

"You look well, too. It's so amazing that a mother can feed their baby" 

"I know, right? Makes me feel pretty strong, if I do say so myself" the new mother laughed, adjusting herself on the sofa they were sitting on. Truth be told, she didn't know how come Charles had lasted the whole morning and bit of the afternoon stuck in meetings, without seeing his offspring, but it was surely painful for the poor man. 

* * *

It had been established that Isaac would be staying at Shelby manor, which was the more spacious home, and his place of work as well. Each day, Karl would arrive in the morning, and would distribute tasks that he needed the young man to get done that day, and taught him some things he wasn't used to doing. It was a blessed existence, with interludes of even better moments, namely the ones he spent with Kitty Shelby, her arm in his, Birmingham in the background, and their whole lives ahead of them. 

The only bad part in all of that was having his own office. Karl Thorne could not stand the presence of another human being while doing his work, so Isaac was strictly confined to his own room, free to let his mind wander once his tasks were completed. And there was the problem: with no one around, and alone with his thoughts, it was inevitable to have the kind of thoughts he could never, under any circumstance, tell anyone else. Unfortunately, there were some physical side effects that were a bit harder to hide, and uncomfortable, as well. 

"You alright, lad?" Isaac heard Karl calling from the door. He must've knocked, as he always did, but Isaac didn't hear it. 

"Yeah, yeah, sir, I am" 

"Sir? No, it's just me" Karl dismissed, opening the door and entering the room, face buried in a ledger. "I'm done for today, I'm going home to see my son. You done too? Anything I can do to help?"

"No, not at all, I'm done as well" Isaac replied, thankful that his mentor never seemed to be fully present, but either balancing imaginary books in his head, or thinking about his wife and son. 

"Great, good work, go do something else, we'll continue tomorrow" Karl simply stated, turning around and closing the door behind him. 

So that was that, Isaac thought to himself. surveying the receipts he had put together, and that rested in a neat pile in front of him. Now, all he had to do was go up the stairs, down the hall to his bedroom, grab a towel, and take a shower. An ice cold shower would solve his issue, and would spare Kitty from being dishonoured in his mind. It seemed simple enough, a very good and normal plan, one that anyone could fulfill with minimal damage to himself and others. 

The first part was easy: going to his room and grabbing everything he needed was done without a single soul seeing him, and the same went for his urgent little race to the bathroom. The water was, as expected, so cold it ould turn to ice at any moment, which provided some relief, even if it wasn't the complete return to normal he expected. Even so, he turned the water off, wrapped a towel around his waist, and prepared to go back to his room, to get dressed. 

Needless to say, that was when the whole plan of flying under the radar went to shit, as it was bound to happen. Well, in all honesty, what happened was a few steps above going to shit: it was a disaster of apocalyptic proportions. Out of the blue, and as he looked over his shoulder to make sure no one could see him, Isaac felt something, or someone bump into him. Even worse, he felt the towel sliding down his legs, adding insult to injury. 

"I am so sor..." he started saying, but his words got caught in his throat when he saw who it was he had bumped to, and who was now staring at him, wide-eyed and hanging jaw. 

_Fuck this, fuck me, fuck my life, holy motherfucking shit, shit..._

His internal monologue was ringing inside his brain, his own eyes stuck on her, on the expression of absolute shock on her face. Damn it, he didn't even have the courage to follow her gaze, which was not, needless to say, on his face, or even on his naked torso, but somewhere else entirely. He'd made such an effort to not go too far with his own daydreams, to not take it too far with her in his thoughts, to not even think about those things...

Kitty herself didn't say a word, convinced she was about to pass out. Was this some sort of divine sign? Was the universe trying to tell her something? Whatever it was, she quickly decided what she wanted to do, which was take Isaac's hands, and make him walk with her to the nearest room, and locking the door behind them. It was dark, with only a sliver of light coming from inbetween the curtains, but it was good enough, it was perfect. 

"Kitty, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you, or..." Isaac started, almost crying from sheer embarrassment. He had been given such good manners, he'd been taught how to behave like a gentleman, and this was absolutely not in any of the rules he knew by heart. 

"I'm going to kiss you, is that alright?" she interrupted, finally looking up at him, into his eyes. He nodded, like a deer in headlights. They'd kissed in the past, but it had been the most innocent kissing, just a peck on the lips now and then, when they were alone. But the way she kissed him now was not a peck, and it wasn't innocent either. Her tongue was in his mouth, and it was amazing, it was warm, and wet, and probably sloppy, but none of them cared. As for Kitty's hands, she knew very well where she wanted to go, but still hesitated, trying to work up the nerve to ask for his permission. She'd been told, both by her mother and older sisters, that she needed to give and receive consent for anything she wanted to do, and she would uphold those teachings religiously. What was more, she could sense Isaac was as nervous as she was, and the last thing she wanted to do was scare him away. 

"I uh... I'm so sorry" Isaac muttered, mortified that he was unmistakingly hard, and so close to Kitty that she would inevitably feel it, and become disgusted with him, disgusted with everything to do with him, and would never want to see him again. 

"For what?" Kitty herself asked, furrowing her brow. 

"Fucking hell, oh my God, I am so sorry" he whined, fully convinced he would rather be dead than in that situation. 

"No, don't be, it's alright. Isaac, really, it's fine, I'm the one who kissed you, and this... this is normal, you don't have to be sorry" Kitty chuckled, kissing him on the lips and then on the cheek, trying to calm him down. "Really, it's perfectly fine" 

"Are you sure? I need to go put some clothes on, this is not proper at all"

"Do you want to put clothes on? Is it me? Am I making you uncomfortable?" 

"I uh... Uncomfortable? Not because of you, I mean... No, I was taught that... I don't want to... You're a lady, and this is... not how a gentleman behaves" Isaac explained, trying to say something, anything at all, that made sense, despite the ridiculous situation they were both in. 

"I'm a lady, you're a gentleman, but I don't see how this goes against any of that. I'm here because I want to be here, and because I honestly cannot take my eyes off of you" Kitty confessed, trying to decide whether to say that she had spent many a night thinking about what he looked like naked. Now that she knew, it was hard to resist. "My sister Birdie... she's the nurse, right? And she told me that when... hm. When a man wants someone, his... he... you know, gets hard, and... do you want me? Because I want you, a whole lot" 

"Are you serious?" Isaac asked, his voice falling down to a mild whisper, looking down at her, seeing her fingertips laying on his chest, and lightly sliding down his torso, finally resting on his hipbones. "You're not... you really... I want you so damn much, so much, Kitty, but I can't... I don't want to do something to you that you're not comfortable with" 

"You won't. I'll tell you what, I'll lead, alright? I'll ask you for permission, and then you ask me for permission. That make you feel more at ease?" she asked, looking right into his eyes. 

"OK, yes, that sounds reasonable" he agreed, seeing the pure desire in her pupils. She was right, of course she was. The two of them wanted this, they'd said so much themselves, and with the idea of having her permission, he could relax. "Alright, ask away"

"Can I touch it?" 

"Touch... Oh. Yeah, yeah, go right ahead" 

It couldn't be more perfect, it surely couldn't. Kitty, who had never even seen a man naked before, was absolutely fascinated: he was so warm, and heavy too, but the best part of it was the look on Isaac's face, the way his lips quivered, and the way his eyes threatened to close. 

"Like this?" Kitty asked, running her hand along his manhood, following the sighs he couldn't hold in. "Sorry, I've no idea what I'm doing" 

"Me either" Isaac admitted, laughing nervously. "That uh... that feels amazing, that's all I know"

"Alright, you ask for something now" Kitty offered, taking in a deep breath, not knowing whether to stop or not. "Should I stop?"

"No, as long as... as long as you want to, you don't need to stop" he responded, trying to split his brain into two: one to bask in the pleasure he felt, and the other to think of how to return the favour. 

"Good, I don't want to stop. What do you want permission for?" she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Her hand was still moving, and she could feel the blood running through his veins, she could feel him hardening, and it was as intoxicating as alcohol. For once, Kitty felt like the queen of the world. 

"Not an easy question to ask a man who's having trouble thinking straight" he laughed, leaning forward to capture her lips, kissing her like he had before, full of passion, fully of lust, and absolutely in love with that woman. "Is the kissing something that needs permission?"

"No, kissing is fair game, no need to ask permission" Kitty assured, kissing him back, testing both rhythm and pressure of her experiment. She liked it when he gasped, but she was trying to get him to moan, or maybe groan, with a bit of luck. 

"Alright, fair enough. OK, what about... Permission to... Permission to undo the top buttons of your dress?"

Kitty simply nodded, observing those gorgeous hands move to the front of her dress, and hesitantly undoing the first one, and then the second. However, she wasn't happy with that, and kept his hands where they were, helping him undo the rest of them. Of course, this had to happen the day she wore the simplest brassiere in the whole world, but it somehow was enough for her to receive the groan she was hoping for. 

"You're so perfect, god damn" Isaac managed to say, even if he felt about to explode. "So beautiful, I think I'm dreaming right now" 

"I am too, then" Kitty agreed, smiling sweetly, and kissing him once again. "Permission to make you... I don't know what happens, but..." 

"I do, and it's... not proper, _prem_ "

"What does that mean? Is it Hindi?"

"Love. It means love, in Hindi" Isaac informed, his voice failing, his vision slightly cloudy. "Yeah, yeah, you've got my... my permission. I don't think I can... I'm not going to..." 

Not a second after that, Kitty became much more knowledgeable about the birds and the bees, as she witnessed exactly what it was like when a man was pushed past his edge. All in all, Isaac had managed to last quite a bit, but the amount of liquid which poured of him when he couldn't anymore spoke to the lenghts he'd gone to maintain his posture and poise, and to spare Kitty from indecency.

"Wow" she let out, fascinated and surprised in equal measures. "I did that?"

"Shit, you sure did, that was... insane" he replied, taking a deep breath, and happy that he had picked up the towel, so that he could at least try and clean Kitty's hand. "I made a whole mess, sorry about that"

"No, that's perfectly fine" she responded, the happiest of looks on her face. "I feel powerful as hell, I loved that" 

"I don't know what to tell you, aside from thank you, but that's not nearly enough" 

"No need" Kitty dismissed, grabbing his face with both hands and pulling him to her, kissing him as hard as she possibly could. "Let's promise each other that we're not going to hold back anymore. This isn't shameful, it's not bad, or any of that. It's incredible, and I love it, and we should do it more often"

"Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure about that?" Isaac asked, glad that the weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

"Yes, of course I am! The way I feel right now... The way I feel right now is not something I need to think about. I've wanted you like this since the moment we danced together at my cousin's wedding, but I didn't want to tell you anything, I didn't think you felt the same" 

"I do, I just didn't want to come off as pushy, or make you feel used. Because I am not using you, Kit, I don't just need to get laid or anything like that I had never... I had never done anything like that, never felt anything like that. Never felt anything like I feel for you, and I'm sure I will never feel like this for anyone else" Isaac assured, holding her close to him, eyes on hers, so she could see the truth in his irises. 

"You can use me if you want to, though" she cheekily replied, smiling at him. "I feel the same way about you, too" 

"I do have one permission left to ask, though" 

"And what would that be?" 

"Permission to return the favour" Isaac whispered in her ear, making the hair on the back of her head stand up, and a shiver to go up her spine. All she could do was nod, her legs all tingly with antecipation. 


	35. Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with subjects related to post-partum depression, so TRIGGER WARNING. Please, if this feels familiar to you, seek help from a medical professional.

Lou was, once again, refusing to eat. Normally, she ate enough to make sure she had milk for the baby, but with no enthusiasm whatsoever. Even more concerning, she would start crying out of nowhere, and shaking whenever the baby cried. Karl, who had to go to work, spent his days overwhelmed with fear that he was going to lose her, even though his mother was with the baby and his wife. Lou had always been so lively, although fragile, and before welcoming her child, full of joy to be a mother. Now, she was a pile of nerves and anxiety, seemingly always waiting for the worst to happen. Freddie was an easy baby, and slept most of his time, healthy as could be. But his poor mother seemed to have a cloud over her head, one that no one could take away. 

"Beloved, at least a bit of the turkey. Please" Karl insisted, on the brink of tears himself. Ada was overlooking the scene, taking deep breaths, silently praying for her daughter-in-law. "For Freddie"

"Just a bit" Lou finally agreed, taking the fork and eating a tiny bit of the meat. "Is he OK?"

"Of course he is, he's with grandma, can you see how happy he is?" Karl responded, looking at Ada, who smiled and made Freddie's little hand wave at his mom. "He's doing perfect, Lou, eat a bit more"

Lou did as she was asked, breathing deeply inbetween bites. She didn't want it, she hated the taste of it, but the argument of having to gain strength to feed her son was very convincing. That far, she managed to nurse him just fine, and the baby was absolutely thriving, but the fear of it all ending was always on her mind, always threatening to drive her past the brink of sanity. 

"You're doing perfect, sweetheart" Ada encouraged, sitting at the table as well, so that Lou could see her baby, hopefully gaining more courage to eat. It seemed to work, as Lou went from the meat to the vegetables, and actually ate the whole plate of food. "Look Freddie, mommy is doing so great, she's so strong" 

"I'm trying, I'm sorry" Lou whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm really trying, I'm so sorry" 

"Oh sweetheart, no, no need to be sorry!" Ada guaranteed, reaching for Lou's shoulder as Karl wrapped his arms around his wife, trying to get her to stop crying. 

"It's fine, it's absolutely fine, everything is absolutely fine" Karl assured, hoping this would be the time she believed him. "I wouldn't lie to you, eh? I would never lie to you"

"I know, I know that, but it's hard to... I don't want to lose any of you" she sobbed, hiding her face in her hands, deeply ashamed of breaking down, of not being the perfect wife, mother, and daughter-in-law she wanted to be. "I'm so sorry..."

"Of course you're not going to lose us, love, we're here for you, we're here to help you" Ada replied, noticing how Freddie reached for his mom. Lou seemed a bit calmer now, so Ada handed her the baby, who let out a couple of satisfied noises, cooing happily and taking strands of her hair. 

"I do think he's happy, and all the doctors say he's healthy. And I know that both of you are fine, and that the rest of the family is, as well" Lou reasoned, noticeably calmer, looking much more like herself. "I promise to try and not be so scared, and I don't want to be a burden anymore" 

"You're not a burden, my love, you're the most amazing mom for our baby, and I cannot even believe you're my wife. I'm being as honest as possible, you're a miracle, and so is Freddie. Really, love, you're incredible, and you're doing perfectly" Karl said, kissing her on the cheek, and seeing the colour coming back to her features. Before, she looked absolutely drained, pale and ill, but now she looked slightly rosier, and even healthy. 

"Trust us, love, everything is alright, eh? You want me to see if I can find someone you can talk to? A doctor, maybe?" Ada suggested, hoping to God there was someone who could help. Lou was obviously not physically ill, she was simply overwhelmed with worry and responsibility. "We could ask Henry and Birdie if they know someone. Or your doctor in London" 

"I would like that" Lou nodded, laying her head on Karl's shoulder, once he sat on the chair by her side. "I'm sorry, I'll take care of this" 

"In the meanwhile, come to us when you feel sad, alright? We're here for you" Karl asked, caressing her shoulder and letting his son play with his fingers. 

* * *

Birdie looked around her living room, and decided the best course of action was to start in one corner, making her way through the division before moving forward to another part of the house. However, her plans were thwarted by the arrival of her husband Henry, who hung his coat and walked over to her, kissing her lips with a smile on his face, clearly very satisfied with how his shift had gone. 

"How's it going? What are you doing?" Henry asked, noticing how Birdie wore an apron and was holding a feather duster. "I cleaned this place top to bottom last week" 

"I uh... I know you did, but I need to clean it again" Birdie explained, although the home was spotless, as usual. "I don't know why I need to, but I do" 

"Oh. Are you feeling... are you feeling OK? Are you..." 

"I don't know if... I'm pretty sure it's nothing, but... Just a second" she let out, before turning around and running out to the bathroom. Knowing his wife pretty well, Henry opted to not follow her: she hated when people hovered over her, and whatever it was she was dealing with, she would share it with him if there was reason to. 

"What can I do?"

"Can I get a glass of water? Please?" Birdie asked, sitting down on the sofa, as Henry went to the kitchen and brought back a big glass of water, and some biscuits too. "Thank you so much" 

"No worries, dove. You feel better? Still wanting to clean the whole house?" Henry chuckled, taking her hands inbetween his and warming them, before pulling her to him, her legs over top of his. 

"You know that room where we have the boxes with the fancy cutlery?" she asked, looking up at her husband, determined to map out every single milimetre of his pupils. "The one with all the boxes?"

"I do, yeah. It was supposed to be some sort of office, but I like the idea of a library, too" he suggested, shrugging softly. "Why? You need it for something?"

"A library sounds great, but I reckon we'll need space for the baby" Birdie smiled, seeing the realization of the news hitting Henry. He didn't even know what to say, his jaw hanging open and pupils blown. "I went to the hospital today to get the test back"

"And you didn't say anything?" Henry protested, although his nervous chuckles denoted the overwhelming happiness he didn't even know how to express. "You didn't... Did you..."

"I wasn't sure! I'm sorry for not saying anything, but I didn't want to get your hopes up and then it being a false alarm!" Birdie smiled widely, as Henry hugged her and held her close enough for her to feel his heart beat incredibly fast. 

"Ah, that makes sense. I want to swear, I feel like swearing, can I swear?" he asked, to which Birdie nodded emphatically. "Fuck fucking hell, fucking shit, I'm going to be a dad, I'm gonna be a dad!" 

"You happy, right?" Birdie needlessly asked, as it was obvious Henry Miller had never been happier in his whole entire life. "Because I really am"

"I'm so fucking happy, so happy I could cry, and dance, and... I don't know what I want to do, to be honest. Do you feel alright?"

"Actually, yeah, apart from the vomiting" she informed, taking a deep breath, thankful that she wasn't nauseous right then. "But that's how it is, eh? It's fine, I'm great"

"I adore you" Henry said, kissing her lips and nose, making her giggle. "I adore you, and I love you, and I can't wait to be a dad, and I can't wait for our baby, and I think I might cry at some point" 

"Oh, you better cry, 'cause I'm for sure gonna cry when I meet the little one" Birdie agreed, kissing him back. "What do you think, we up to the task?" 

"Yeah, of course we are" he responded, a little less sure of it on the inside. "We'll ask for help if we need it"

"Sounds good" 

* * *

"Good afternoon to you, CHARLES" Talia shouted, scaring her husband half to hell, and laughing hysterically at his reaction. 

"Are you trying to kill me? What the fuck?" Charlie asked, picking up the glass he'd dropped. 

"Nah, just messing with you" she informed, walking up to him and kissing his lips. "Tommy wanted to say hi to you" 

"Just Tommy? I'm not saying that isn't great, I missed the two of you" he replied, taking his son from Talia, and bouncing him up and down on his knee, making the little one giggle excitedly. "What have you been up to?"

"I was on the phone with a couple business partners, and then I went over some new security contracts with Billy, but I'm done now, so I decided to come scare you" Talia informed, as if all those tasks were extremely casual. "I missed you as well" 

"I really, really missed you. You look so gorgeous today" Charles complimented, as his wife sat on the chair across from his desk. 

"If you're trying to seduce me, I'm going to be mad: I refuse to do whatever it is you want in front of the baby" 

"No, I'm not trying to seduce you, I'm just being nice. Of course we won't do anything in front of the baby" Charlie protested, as Tommy decided to try and climb up his shoulder. "Maybe Kitty could come look after him for a bit"

"Sure, you're not trying to seduce me" she responded, as they both of them laughed. "You know what I think, Charles?"

"What?" 

"I think I love you" 

"Oh yeah? I think I love you too" Charlie smiled, getting up and kissing Talia on the lips, as Tommy babbled something unninteligible. "Should we get married?"

"We could" Talia laughed, kissing him back. "And have a kid doesn't sound too bad either, eh?"


	36. Forest Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for mentions of a death in the family

Autumn Cormier-Shelby passed away peacefully, in her sleep, in her hometown of New Orleans. However far the United States were from Birmingham, her twins were able to move her body to the old country, so that she could rest next to her husband Arthur. Louise and Dominic arrived the same day as the burial, to find their brother Billy overcome with grief, camped out at the Garrison, drowning in alcohol. 

"William, let's go. You can't stay here anymore" Louise said, extending her hand. She too felt like collapsing on a booth and dying, but it couldn't be: she needed to live for herself, for her twin, and for Billy, not to mention her other cousins. She wanted to see the babies grow up, to see new life growing and thriving, to fill the void her mother and father had left behind. 

"Leave me be, sister, please. Leave me be" Billy whispered, facing the wall, cuddling the biggest bottle of scotch he could find. "The more I sleep, the less I live in this nightmare"

"The nightmare will still be here, and we could use your help to get through it" Dominic informed, taking off his sunglasses and gloves. "We knew mother wouldn't be able to last very long after father passed. We got five wonderful years with her, way longer than I thought we would have"

"I miss her" Billy sobbed, siting up and taking a big sip of the bottle. "I miss her, and I miss him"

"So do we, William. So do we" Louise agreed, swallowing back tears. "But at this rate, we're going to lose you too. And I... Billy, I can't lose anyone else. So please get up, come with us and clean up. We're going to see the babies"

"You called me Billy" Billy muttered, staggering to his feet and promptly falling on top of Dominic, who barely managed to stay up. "Louise, let's go see my baby cousins. Dominic should come too" 

"I'm right here, you moron, come on" Dominic himself groaned, under the weight of his very intoxicated older brother. "We have a car outside"

"I have a car too, did you know that? I can drive us, let's go" Billy announced, shielding his eyes from the sun once they were on the street. 

"Absolutely not, idiot, I'm driving" Louise said, marching to her own vehicle, and helping her twin load Billy onto the backseat. "Five bucks he falls asleep before we get to Charles" 

"He's uh... he's out" Dominic chuckled, looking at the back of the car as he settles into the passenger seat. "We'll straighten him out" 

"Either we do, or we lock him in a room by himself with nothing to drink or put up his nose" Louise stated, chuckling too. "It's just the three of us, now"

"I know. And I knew this day would come, but now that it has... there was no way to prepare" Dominic sighed, as his sister drove to Shelby Manor. "Being an orphan sucks"

"It does. We're not alone, though, brother; we'll be alright"

* * *

Freddie had taken to Tommy like a fish to water, and even after a funeral, it brought a smile to everyone's faces. Tommy liked his cousin too, and the two were babbling to each other on the floor, on top of a specially made mat, brought by their cousin Bunny from Italy. The only thing the two babies liked more than each other's company was that of Birdie Miller, and of her bump: now five months along, her own baby was kicking pretty regularly, which was fascinating. 

"It's a girl" Kitty confidently said. "It has to be"

"I reckon it's another baby boy" Talia responded, fully invested in the idea of a Shelby football team. Finn and Isaiah could fix their matches, and they'd be national champions before long. 

"A girl" Ruby Shelby insisted, having dreams of a baby girl in the family to spoil rotten, and dress up in little dainty dresses. "A little princess"

"Has anyone thought to ask the mother of the aforemention baby what she wants?" Charlie mocked, looking at his best friend, who was listening in from her own little world, hands on top of her bump and dreamy eyes. "What would you prefer, Bird?"

"Not important" the expecting mother assured, shrugging. "Henry does want a girl, although he won't admit to it"

It was then that Billy, Louise and Dominic re-entered the room, after finalising thir mother's arrangements. It hurt to see the three of them, dressed in heavy black, bearing a resemblance for once. Billy had tear marks on his face, his beard had grown and tangled, and he was barely managing to stay up. As for his twin half-siblings, they were visibly exhausted and in pain, but they carried it much better, under the sunglasses and gloves. 

"You guys alright?" Birdie asked, as the twins sat Billy down on an available sofa, and took each side of him. 

"Yes, it's handled. They're together" Dominic informed, prompting Birdie to erupt into sobs. Emotion was normal with her, but with a baby inside her, it was alightly increased. The thought of Arthur and Autumn together again, probably in Hell, made her cry. "William needs some help. We want him to go to rehabilitation" 

"I would agree with that" Henry chimed in, motioning Birdie to stay put, while he observed Billy, whose eyes were glassy, and limbs were flacid. "Dove, do you think that convent still takes cases like his?" 

"They will if I ask them" Birdie replied, agreeing that her cousin needed help as fast as possible, and needed it from somewhere reliable and safe. "It's a safe place, managed by a franciscan missionary. They do really good work with addicts. It's in Brighton, so it's nice and sunny. I think Billy will like it" 

"Sounds nice, huh?" Dominic asked his sister, who nodded solemnly. "Thank you" 

"Indeed, thank you so very much, dear cousin" Louise echoed, observing Henry as he checked Billy's pulse and pupils. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I feel great. I threw up quite a bit at first, but then it went away. I do feel exhausted all the time, and my ankles are swollen as all hell; but it's a small price to pay for the little one, eh?"

"I reckon it is" Louise said, surveying her cousin's bump and looking as though she would rather be dead and buried with her mother than actually carry a child inside her. "What names are you thinking of?"

"We've no idea, actually. Maybe when the baby is born we'll have a better idea" Henry said, finishing his exam of Billy and concluding he wasn't going to die before they could ship him off to get cured. 

"Mama" Tommy let out all of a sudden, his little voice cutting through their conversation. The baby was absolutely fine, and so was Freddie, but they seemed to be tangled in eachother, and needed help to straighten up. Talia, being the one they called upon for help, got up and unglued the two, who seemed to be joined at the hip. Tommy generally did the talking, whereas Freddie took care of the more physical tasks, such as crawling after toy cars or wooden pieces. 

"


	37. Powder Blue

In case anyone lost count, there were now three babies in the Shelby family: Thomas Alfred, Frederick Huw, and Sunny Luna. The first two, the boys, were born one month and a half apart, whereas the latter, the only girl, had been born almost a year later. She was a beautiful little thing, with blue eyes (like all babies, due to the consumption of milk), dark brown curls, and the colour only comparable with milk chocolate. She had been born at midday sharp, on a Sunday. Thankfully, her birth had been easy, or as easy as labour could be. Birdie, her doting mother, had gathered all her strength, taken several deep breaths, and birthed a perfect little girl. Henry, the baby's father, delivered the baby himself, with the aid of Luna, the new grandmother, who didn't look one day over twenty. 

"Look at her little hands! Oh my god, she's so perfect" Henry whispered, inbetween sobs of pure happiness. He'd been terrified that Birdie would suffer a seizure while birthing their daughter, but she hadn't. Truth be told, she looked healthier than ever, radiant, calm, filled with a love purer than any other. Her eyes, which were sweet to begin with, were now transcendent, as she evolved from woman, to nurse, to a new mother. 

"She really is. You did an amazing job, sweetheart, I'm so proud. How do you feel?" Luna asked, stroking her daughter's hair. It seemed like yesterday that it was herself in that position, surrounded by Isaiah and Finn, with Polly and Ada helping. Birdie had been a blessing beyond imagination, as were Bunny and Kitty. Sunny, the chosen name for the new little one, was just as miraculous, born of a love that was meant to be. 

"I feel good, don't worry. Is she alright? Breathing properly and everything? Heart beating?" Birdie asked, observing Henry as he took the baby's temperature, measured her heartbeat, everything and anything, to make sure his baby was fine, that there was no need to ask Luna to go get one of the other doctors, or nurses. Birdie had wanted to give birth at home, but Henry had been stern: she had epilepsy, and had to be near medical professionals when she was in labour, and probably a couple of days after as well. 

"She's absolutely perfect" Henry repeated, handing the little one back to Birdie. Sunny cooed, and snuggled into her mother's chest, looking around with curiosity. "I'm a dad, holy crap... I think I've never been happier" 

"Me either. Mom, would you mind going to tell my dads? And my sisters, and everyone else?" Birdie asked, as her mother bent over to kiss the top of her head. 

"Of course, I was going to suggest it myself. Take your time with the little one, alright?" Luna advised going out the room and smiling to herself. It was almost more special to see her daughters have children than it had been to birth them herself, and seeing that the love Isaiah and Finn had showed as parents was replicated in Henry, who had been calm and collected during the birth, but had sobbed as soon as baby girl was safe and sound, as well as her mother. 

"Thank you for going through everything. You're the strongest of them all, and I love you" Henry managed to say, breathing as deeply as he could to stop himself from crying. "I love you to the sun and back, eh?"

"I see what you did there" Birdie replied, with a giggle. She felt so happy and so relaxed, it was really nice. Her little one was waving her arms, trying to reach something, which ended up being Birdie's hair. 

* * *

"Mom! What happened? Is she OK? Is it a girl? A boy? Twins?" Bunny asked, in a complete panic. 

"She's fine, the baby is perfect, it's a girl" Luna informed both her other daughters, and their stressed-out fathers. Isaiah was pacing, and Finn was sitting down, pale as death. However, upon receiving the news, both of them came to life, smiling so wide they beamed. 

"A girl! Oh yay, I really wanted her to have a girl!" Kitty bellowed, happily jumping up and down from excitement. "How's Henry?"

"Oh, he's ecstatic. Fatherhood suits him" Luna replied, knowing she would never forget the look on her son-in-law's face. "The little one is so beautiful, she looks like Birdie, but has Henry's hair" 

"She looks like me, then! See, she's gonna be so gorgeous when she grows up" Bunny boistered, full of herself and her own looks, as per usual. "Can't wait to meet her" 

"Can we go in?" Isaiah asked, so full of nervous energy he had forgotten about appearances and held tightly on to Finn's hand. "To see them, I mean" 

"Give them some time on their own, will you? And relax, my love, they're fine" Luna asked, kissing Isaiah on the lips, and allowing Finn to kiss her on the cheek. 

"Can't believe our little girl has a little girl of her own" Finn whispered, tears in his eyes. Time went by too fast, it always did, and yet, with each day, he loved Luna and Isaiah more, he loved his daughters more, his life was a little more blessed than the day before.

"Me either. She'll do amazing, I know she will. And she's lucky enough to have a good man by her side, like I do. Only I'm luckier, 'cause I have two" Luna smiled, wiping a tear from Finn's cheek. Their girls were already on the public phone the hospital allowed family members to use, telling all their cousins about the birth of Sunny Luna Miller. 


	38. Magenta

Louise and Dominic sat across from Charles, looking as ellegant and terrifying as ever. They had taken Billy's absence in stride, but there was no denying that their brother was sorely missed. He was their better half, the half that could smile, and party, and cheer. Neither one of the twins was very good at social interaction, and preferred the basements, the morgues, and even holes in walls of dubious provenance. This time, they were slightly less glum than before, and seemed almost... excited?

"We would have gone to Billy, but..." Louise lost her own train of throught when she thought of her older brother, away in Brighton, trying to get better. "Well, he's not around. And we want to let you know of our plans as well. We aren't asking for money, as we've plenty of our own" 

"I do want to help you, though" Charlie responded, interlacing his fingers and leaning forward. "At least let me help you find a place to set it up"

"No need, thank you, cousin" Dominic dismissed, waving his hand. "We already found the property. There is, however, the matter of secutiry. Would you be interested in that contract? Or Talia, maybe?"

"I'll take it, I've more resources in Birmingham, and I want you to have the best" Charlie informed, furrowing his brow. Of course, Billy would know who the best men for the job were, and would even know how to attend to the other needs of the bizarre business being proposed. "I also want you to have any business relating to this family, and to the Peaky Blinders"

"That's very generous, thank you" Louise nodded, even going as far as smiling at Charlie, who responded in kind without giving it a second thought. "About the second part of it, is it something you would be alright with? Would Karl, Birdie, Bunny?"

"I can't really... Well, I can't speak for them. But I can say that there is no shortage of nightclubs in Birmingham, and one more shouldn't be a problem. We'll protect you, and we'll make sure no one bothers you" Charlie assured, sucking his teeth. "Shelby Brothers owns nightlife in Birmingham, so I don't really think any of them will have an issue" 

"Fair enough" Louise nodded, opening her handbag and retrieving an envelope. "This arrived from Billy, and it's addressed to you"

"Thank you. I know you're busy, but please stay for tea? Tommy would like to see you, and both Birdie and Lou are coming with their little ones, too" Charlie offered, trying to coax his strange cousins out of their newly minted funeral house. 

"We would love to" Dominic happily (as happily as any of the twins could) accepted. Whatever else those two were, they were absolutely dedicated to their family, and the three babies adored them. 

Luckily, the three of them left Charlie's office at the same time Karl left his and prepared to go down for afternoon tea. Prompting the twins to go ahead, Charles stopped his older cousin, and took a deep breath, barely believing what he was about to say. 

"They're setting up a business, Karl" 

"So they've decided to stay, huh? How much do they want?" Karl enquired, lighting his pipe as calmly as ever. 

"Zero. They didn't come to ask for money. They want to employ some Blinders to protect their business" 

"Why would a funeral home need protection? Are they going to be doing funerals for wanted fugitives?" 

"No. No, they don't need security for that part of it. Karl, they want to open a nightclub under said funeral home" Charlie explained, looking around to make sure no one was around to hear him say those absolutely insane words. "They said it themselves, it's the same business model they had in New Orleans, and let me tell you, they are loaded with money from it" 

"A nightclub under a... hm" Karl let out, deep in thought. It was a bit peculiar, but if those two made money from it... how stupid could it be? "Can't say I will be a customer, but I don't see any problem with it" 

"Me either. I can, however, see dear old Bunny being a regular" Charles pointed out, walking with Karl in the direction of the parlour. "It's her kind of insanity" 

"Any insanity is her kind of insanity" Karl nodded, dragging a few more breaths out of the pipe, and putting it out once the two of them entered the room. As expected, Birdie had arrived sometime before, and little two-month-old Sunny was busy observing Freddie and Tommy, who were helping each other take a few steps. Kitty was nowhere to be seen, but she was probably somewhere with Isaac. The aforementioned Bunny was kneeling on the couch, elbows on the back it, flirting with the new maid, who blushed and giggled. 

"Daddy!" Tommy exclaimed, pointing at Charles, happy beyond belief to see his father. As for Freddie, he was making his way to Louise, and looked at his dad, smiled, but kept on trying to reach her, with a look of determination on his face. 

"Hi buddy, how are you? Look at Freddie, he's almost walking perfectly" Charles said, seeing the look of sheer pride on Karl's face. 

"He is, it's really amazing, eh?" Karl agreed, all eyes for his little one, who took the final step before falling into Louise's arms. "I'm all for it, by the way" he added, approaching her and accepting his son from her arms. 

"You are? Thank you, it means a lot to have your support. And Charlie's right: Freddie is well on his way to running around" Louise replied, smiling a bit brighter than before. The presence of children did that to her, although she herself had no interest in building a family of her own. Dominic too glowed every time Tommy, Freddie, or Sunny were any near him, and the babies loved how he made funny faces. 

"Yeah, I can see that. You're a man now, aren't you, son? Yes, you are" Karl said to his son, who burst into laughter for unknown reasons. "Lou looks well doesn't she? Better than before, I mean"

"She does, she doesn't look sad anymore, or anxious. She looks good" Louise agreed, seeing her cousin's wife happily chatting with Birdie. "I know how worried you were about her, but I don't think you need to be now. We should still keep an eye on her, but I think the worst has passed"

"Me too, thank God" Karl sighed, eyes glued to his wife, who noticed and blew him a kiss. It was such a small little gesture, but it meant the world to see her look like herself again. Lou was such an amazing mother, and the best of wives, and Karl really had to be the luckiest man to ever live to be able to call her his own. 

"Hey, any of you know where Kitty is? Tea is almost ready, and the cook made her favourite cake" Talia chimed in, entering the room to see her husband holding their son, who was babbling something in a language not known to anyone over the age of two. 

"I actually have no idea where she might be, but I'm ready to bet she's with Is..." Birdie had wanted to finish that sentence, but she couldn't: almost like she'd known her family needed her, Kitty herself appeared at the door, looking as though she had just seen a ghost. Even scarier was the state of her hands and clothes, drenched in blood. 

"I... I need help" she stuttered, shaking violently. 

There was a moment of pure shock running through those present, and it was Talia who recovered quicker, rushing to Kitty, taking her face inbetween her hands, and looking at the young girl straight in the eye.

"What's happened?" 

"Isaac... he went to get me from school. And... he's hurt real bad, I need help" Kitty whispered, unable to do anything else. Without another word, she took Talia by the arm and led her to the outside as quickly as possible. Birdie handed Sunny to Charlie, and rushed after her sister as well, followed closely by Dominic and Louise. Henry was at the hospital, but between the four of them, they would be able to save a life, if it came to that. 

Indeed, Isaac was hurt real bad. As soon as he saw the entourage Kitty had come back with, he tried to get up, but failed to do so. Apparently, he had either been attacked near Shelby Manor, or Kitty had been able to take him there. Whatever the case, the source of the injuries was easily assessed: he seemed to have been attacked with a sharp object. He had wounds on his torso, that were bleeding profusely. 

"Fuck, what the hell is this?" Talia asked, kneeling next to Isaac and working on ripping his shirt, to better see the wounds and try to stop the bleeding. Birdie helped, while Dominic and Louise piled their outerwear beneath Isaac's legs, to keep him from losing his senses. 

"I don't know, there were these men, they had their faces covered, came out of nowhere and attacked him.... I couldn't do anything" Kitty explained, tears streaming down her face. Thankfully, the housekeeper had already called an ambulance, and the sirens were starting to be heard from a distance. 

"Hey, it's alright, sweetheart. See there are a couple of wounds here, but no vitals were hit" Louise explained, upon receiving a nod from Birdie, who was pressing whatever fabric she could find on Isaac's stab wounds. 

"I'm so sorry, love" Isaac said to the best of his ability, seeing the look of absolute distress on his girlfriend's face. 

"Sorry? What for? Shut your mouth" Talia urged, seeing that Kitty was about to burst into even more violent tears. "Ok, here's the ambulance. We'll be right there with you, lad" 


	39. Marble

"I don't really know where they came from, either. All I can remember is the two men, coming from behind us, and grabbing Isaac, throwing him to the floor and..." Kitty explained, crying inbetween words. It was scary to remember the incident, but it was even scarier to think someone wanted Isaac dead. And had almost managed to get their wish. 

"It's alright, sweetie, you did good" Charlie encouraged, smiling at his cousin and signaling the detective who had taken her statement. "Do you need anything else, David? Can we let Kitty rest?" 

"Sure, Charlie. Thank you, Kitty, I've got what I needed. All the best for Isaac, alright?" detective Dadvid Chapman replied, nodding, tipping his hat, and leaving through the front door of the hospital. 

"You did well, honey, really well" Bunny praised, an around around her sister. Although she was so mad she could barely breathe, she didn't have anyone to target, so she was left looking after her younger sister. The atypical situation forced her to tap into her sensitive side, which Bunny hated doing. "Isaac will be walking around in no time"

"What if he's not? What if they can't do anything, what if..." Kitty sobbed, hiding her face with her hands. "Everything was going so well, I was so happy with him, he was starting to make Birmingham his home..."

"Don't talk as if you're never going to see him again. He'll be just fine" Charlie assured, kneeling in front of Kitty. The two of them were the only family members at the hospital, given that the rest of the cousins and their spouses were at the manor, looking after the babies. As for Birdie and Henry, they insisted on assisting Isaac's surgery, leaving baby Sunny with Talia and the twins. "I've seen the way he looks at you, no way in hell that boy is going to die and give you up"

"I hope not. He better not" Kitty chuckled, managing to breathe a bit better, and not sobbing anymore. "I won't let him"

"I know you won't, Kit. Be strong for him, eh? He'll be strong for you" Bunny encouraged, playing with her sister's blonde locks as they waited., lookingboth ways to try and hear steps, or another sign of someone approaching. It ended up being a full hour before Birdie emerged from the other side of the building, walking briskly, clearly anxious to relay a message. 

"How is he? Is he ok? Birdie, oh my god..." Kitty got up with a jump, and ran to her sister, a ball of nerves and fear. 

"He's just fine! He's resting now, but you can go see him if you want" Birdie informed, beaming with happiness. She had feared the worst at a point in the surgery, but Isaac had pulled through. 

"Oh thank god" both Bunny and Charlie let out, both so relieved they felt light-headed. As for Kitty, she too was beyond herself, crying tears of the purest of joys. Of course Isaac made it, of course he did, as if she had ever seriously believed otherwise. 

"Can I go see him? Where is he?" Kitty asked, not caring one bit if Isaac was sleeping, simply needing to look at him, to know he was breathing. Her fury and anger turned to nothing; what happened was secundary. 

As Birdie had said, Isaac was sleeping when Kitty entered his hospital room. He looked peaceful, way younger than his eighteen years of age, but his cheeks were rosy. There were bandages all over his torso, and she knew he would be in pain when he woke up, but for now, he was calm. 

"Do you know when he'll wake up?" 

"I don't, no. Everyone is different" Birdie informed her baby sister, indicating a nearby chair for Kitty to sit down while she waited. Soon enough, the two of them were the only ones in the room, and the youngest of the three girls thought there was no issue to hold his hand, and brush his head from his forehead. 

"I miss you" Kitty whispered, her chin on his chest, so she could feel him breathing in and out. "Really miss you, really love you" 

A couple of nurses appeared about ten minutes later to check on Isaac's vitals, accompanied by a doctor who assured Kitty everything was fine. It was the blood Isaac had lost that was making him take so long to recover, but that he'd gotten a transfusion. And, just as the three of them were preparing to leave, Isaac's eyes fluttered open, and focused on Kitty, drowzy but awake. 

"Hey" he let out, a faint but distinctive whisper, proper of someone who was just regaining the ability to speak. 

"Hi! Hi, how are you? How do you feel?" Kitty asked, biting her lip to make sure she didn't cry. "Does anything hurt?"

"Well, yeah, but it's nothing. Shit, I thought... I actually thought I was gonna bleed out on your cousin's driveway" Isaac said, his voice getting stronger, a sweet smile on his lips. "Thought I was never going to see you again"

"No way I'd let that happen" Kitty replied, kissing his chapped lips, and reaching for a jar of water to give him some of it. "Charlie has a detective friend, and he's going to find out who did this to you"

"I'd appreciate that, so I can kick them in the balls for making me think I was going to die in front of you" he joked, finding out that it hurt to laugh. "Any idea of when I might be able to get out of here? Take you dancing?" 

"I didn't think to ask" Kitty sighed, looking around, as if she could summon a doctor. "But I fully intend of only letting you out if here when I'm sure you're fully healthy" 

"I guess that's fair" Isaac replied, taking Kitty's hand and kissing it, thanking every deity he could think of for the blessing of feeling Kitty's skin on his again. "I didn't tell you something else, actually. I asked Karl for a permanent position with Shelby Brothers, and he said yes. So I uh... I'm staying here"

"You are? Oh my god, that's amazing! So, you'll stay in Birmingham, eh?"

"I am, yes. Which leads me to another matter, which is equally important. Since I'm staying here, I want to find a place of my own. And I wanted to know if you'd like to live there with me" he proposed, pretty nervous to know what Kitty would say. They'd been together for almost ten months, but he wasn't sure if it wasn't too soon to ask something so monumental. 

"Of course. Yes, of course, I'd love to" Kitty replied, bending over to kiss him again, smiling happily at the prospect of living with her love, in their own little home. "Maybe we could take a look at those houses near my uni" 

"We absolutely could" Isaac agreed, nodding. It was a bit too warm under the blankets, but it wasn't all that uncomfortable. "And we could go to that antique shop you like to get some furniture" 


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violence

Talia looked over the table, meeting Charlie's eyes. He had bags under his eyes, as did she, but it wasn't necessarily because of Tommy, their baby. It was Isaac, and the attack he had suffered,, on their own driveway of all places. Billy's absence was felt more than ever, as he was the specialist in all things pertaining to Birmingham, and to its people who were capable of attempted murder. With him gone, they had to take matters into their own hands, and make sure it wouldn't happen again. Whoever had done such a despicable thing would quickly regret it, especially now that the Shelby family was complete, with the return of the Cormier-Shelby twins.

"He sent me this" Charlie informed, handing Talia the note from Billy. In it, he spoke of how much better he felt, and of the almost five months of sobriety. Maybe it was time to bring him back, to get him to work on this matter, to guarantee that the guilty party (or parties) were brought to their justice as quickly as possible. 

"What do you think?" Talia asked, reading what Billy had to say, and seriously wondering if five months of sobriety were enough. But what if Billy returned to Birmingham, and was kept under strict surveillance? Bunny was now in charge of the nightlife and of the Blinders, who were absolutely smitten with her leadership skills, which meant Billy himself didn't have to go back to the environment which facilitated his addictions. 

"I think it's the only way. I mean, Bunny is doing an amazing job with the Blinders, but... I don't know, maybe..."

There was a knock on the door, but neither one of them had the time to say anything, because Bunny, Bunny herself, came in, followed by six of her men, who were dragging two individuals, so beaten it was hard to tell the gender or identity. Truth be told, it was slightly eerie that Bunny had appeared at the door when they were talking about her, and even more upsetting that she seemed to have resolved the issue they were debating, by the look of triumphant plastered on her perfect features. 

"Bunny..." Talia started, observing patiently while the two bloody people were thrown on the table, moaning and whining, having obviously been attacked by blades. "Please, explain" 

"Ah well, just my typical Tuesday, you know? Woke up, kissed my mother, stole an apple from your orchard, went around to the factory, and then to the distillery to make sure everything was going well. About an hour ago, these fine gentlemen told me that they had found a promising lead, which I went to investigate. It turns out that they were able to track down the people who attacked dear Isaac" Bunny explained, mindlessly toying with her brand new revolver, ready to shoot if any of the detainees made a run for it. 

"Did they confess?" Charlie asked, looking over the two people on his table, and concluding he did not know them. 

"Yes. Didn't even try to deny it, to be honest. I asked the Blinders to go around the homes of... well, of people who had been... people related to those boys Kitty put in line a while back" Bunny informed, looking a bit uncomfortable for the first time. "I cut out their tongues, but they did say they wanted to make her feel what they felt when she... when they lost their brother" 

"Well, maybe you should've told your brother not to bother fragile young women, huh?" Talia spat, grabbing one of the beaten men by the hair and smashing his head on the table. "He got what he deserved, and so will you. I'll make sure of it, alright? You did a stellar job, I could not be prouder. Bunny, I owe you an apology: I didn't think you could find who did this, but I was wrong "

"No worries, beautiful. I didn't think we could either. I just made them confess to it, the Blinders found them on their own. We're going to the Garrison now, to drink ourselves stupid. I'd say there are two gprgeous creatures who would appreciate this business" Bunny replied, swiping her hair over her shoulder and winking at Talia, who smiled back and ignored the panicked sounds of the men laying on her table. 

"I'll be damned, they actually found the bastards" Charlie admitted, leaning back on the chair, regaining the ability to speak. "You agree with her? About Dominic and Louise?" 

"I do, yeah. And look at them, they're so excited, I couldn't deprive them of such a pleasure" Talia chuckled, hearing the perpetrators struggle and screaming, in absolute terror. Needless to say, they were anything but excited to be handed over to the two vampire-looking twins, who honestly looked capable of ripping off their heart with their bare hands. "You don't look too sure" 

"I uh... I do know it wasn't Kitty's fault, she doesn't know what she does when she blacks out. But these guys really did lose a brother" Charlie confessed, breathing in deeply. "If someone had killed Billy, or Birdie, or Karl, I wouldn't really care if the person who did it had a condition or not" 

"Well, they tried to kill Isaac. Does it matter why?" Talia asked, sitting on the chair next to Charlie's, and easily ignoring the noises coming from the captives. " _Ojo por ojo, diente por diente_ , _mi amor_ "

"I'm going to go ahead and hope to God I understood what you just said" Charlie sighed, rubbing his eyes. "See, I honestly... Fuck it. You know what, fuck it. You tried to hurt my cousin, your brother was a piece of shit, and my cousins will be very excited to have new toys"

"Exactly. That is beautiful" Talia responded, even licking her lips. "I'll go give them a call, ask them to bring the car around" 

"The hearse, you mean" Charlie laughed, adjusting his wedding band. "They better get here quickly, though. I've got an idea for our afternoon" 

"Are you seriously turned on by what just happened here? Fucks sake..." she replied, sucking her teeth to keep herself from laughing. "Good on you" 

* * *

Billy stepped out of the train and breathed in the Birmingham air, filling his lungs with the smell of home. He had missed it more than anything else, more than the alcohol, the women, the drugs, the music, the night and his weapons. His cousins were the only thing comparable to his love for Birmingham, and he could not wait to see them, to hug them, and to just be around them. Luckily, most of them had made it to the station, and Kitty had her arms around him before he even put his bags down. 

"Billy! I missed you so damn much!" Kitty shouted, kissing his cheek, before stepping back and allowing Birdie to hug him as well, careful not to squash Sunny inbetween them. The baby seemed quite happy to be held by Billy, whom she had never met. 

"I missed you guys, too! How gorgeous is this baby girl? She's cuter in person, she looks so much like you, Bird" Billy responded, holding the baby as carefully as possible. "Hi, little one! I'm Billy, nice to meet you"

"She's been dying to meet you, we showed her your pictures" Henry added, shaking Billy's spare hand and taking one of his suitcases, as Lou and Charlie approached with their respective toddlers, who firmly walked up to Billy and attached themselves to his legs. 

"Karl and Talia are in London for a meeting, and Louise and Dominic are working, but they'll all be here for dinner" Lou informed, hugging Billy too, and retrieing Freddy, who was making it impossible for them to move. "How do you feel?"

"I feel great, it's amazing to be back home, and seeing these babies is incredible" Billy beamed, handing Sunny to Birdie so that he could carry his bags. "What about you? Everything alright?" 

"Oh yeah, everything is great. Your siblings are swimming in dough" Charlie laughed, being followed suit by Billy, who expected it. He knew damn well those two made a fortune in New Orleans, and it was expected that the same business model would prosper in the UK. 

"Yeah, they've a talent. You'd never expect how many weirdos there are in this country" Billy chuckled, aching to see what Louise and Dominic were up to. "Thank you all, as well, for giving me the space to go and... I guess recover. It was hell at times, and I missed you all so much"

"No worries, sweetheart. You look way better, now" Birdie smiled, as they walked to their cars. "We really missed you, too. But now we won't have to anymore, and we'll make sure you don't go back to where you were. You alright staying with Louise and Dominic? They do run a..." 

"I don't have an issue with living next to a funeral home" 

"And next to a night club" Henry reminded, getting behind the wheel after securing Sunny in her car seat. She didn't seem to like it very much, but calmed down when Birdie gave her her hand to play with. 

"Ah well... I hadn't thought of it, actually" Billy admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Stay with us! Stay with me and Isaac, we've got a guest room!" Kitty suggested, gasping with excitement. 

"No! With us" Henry countered, turning the key to start the car. 

"I live in a fucking manor, Billy has his room there, it's not even a discussion worth having" Charlie said, ending the discussion. "Besides, it's not in the city, so there are no bars or nightclubs around" 

"Won't I bother you and Talia?" Billy asked, taking Freddie and bouncing him on his leg. 

"Bother us? Why would you, that house is huge" Charlie replied, shrugging. He didn't really like being driven places, but it was worth it, if for anything to hold Tommy for a few extra minutes. His son adored cars, and laughed excitingly all the way to the manor. "You can help out with Tommy, and Karl brings Freddie to work a lot, too" 

"I was going to suggets you coming to our house, but I have to yield and say the manor does sound like a good idea. Charlie's right: Karl does take Freddie a bunch, so it would be the best way to see the little ones as often as possible" Mary-Lou admitted, smiling at how happy her son looked with Billy. He had always been good with children, and even better now when he was clean and sober. 

"Freddie's gonna be an accountant like his daddy at that rate" Billy smiled, making Mary-Lou laugh. "Or you want to be a Blinder like me and Bunny? Where's Bunny by the way?"

"Bunny is with Karl and Talia in London" Charlie informed. "Because of the clubs and the dock protection" 

"Makes sense. What do you say, Freddie boy? You want a cap like ours?" 

"Oh lord, please don't initiate my child into a gang, he's not even two years old" Mary-Lou pleaded. "A cap would be cute, though, I might get him one" 


	41. Chapter 41

Bunny looked like she was about to burst. Charlie and Karl didn't know what was going on, and neither did Talia, but the three of them couldn't look away. She looked ridiculously entertaining, the secret within her making her cheeks bright red. 

"It's a sex club" Bunny shouted, when she couldn't hold it in any longer. "A sex club!"

"A what? What are you talking about?" Karl asked, eyebrows almost on his hairline. 

"Dominic and Louise. Their nightclub? It's not a nightclub. It's a sex club. Where people go to have orgies. I'm not kidding, I saw it with my own two eyes" Bunny informed, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Oh my god, you're serious" Charlie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Now I've seen everything" 

"Do you know how much they charge to let people in? One hundred pounds. I'm not messing with you, either. Not to mention the whole ass background checks" the middle one of the three girls added, pretty much enjoying the effect her words had in her cousins. 

"Hundred quid a head, for orgies? Fuck, we're in the wrong business" Talia chuckled, having heard and seen much worse. The thought of the twins organizing orgies under a funeral home was as outlandish as it was genius. And charging for it... shit, they were smart as hell. 

"Do they... I can't believe I'm asking this, but... what exactly did you see?" Karl asked Bunny, who chuckled along with Talia. "Do they participate?"

"Oh no, they don't. I only saw them for like five minutes, seeing if everything was in order" Bunny shrugged. "And it was: everyonne seemed to be having fun, I guess"

Billy had somehow re-entered the room without being noticed, after a quick trip to the bathroom. He had this trick: whenever he felt like doing snow, or drinking whisky, he'd have a full glass of water instead, which meant he was spending ridiculous amounts of time peeing. However, it was working, as he seemed as sober as the day he'd returned to Birmingham, and much more hydrated, too. 

"That about my darling brother and sister being richer than all of us combined by basically having people pay to have sex in a funeral home?" Billy asked, sitting down with a devious expression. "Truly don't know what to say other than... well, it's in-character for them, I'll give them that"

"You knew and you said nothing" Charlie concluded, taking a breath. 

"Look, if I'd told you, would you have believed me? No, I needed Bunny, an independent party, to see it for herself and report back, so I wouldn't be accused of drinking or doing drugs, again" Billy explained, leaving out the part where he was convinced his siblings wouldn't like their cousins to judge what they were doing, which was exactly what had ended up happening. 

"I think it's brilliant" Talia chuckled, being joined by Bunny, who agreed with her whole heart. "Sure, it's mildly... outside the box for how fond English people are of appearances, but it's genius" 

"Who am I to judge how people make their money... as long as everyone is of age and consents, I have absolutely no issue with it" Bunny added. Sure, everyone at the club was as straight as could be, which meant she didn't really participate much; but hey, to each their own. "Besides, you should've seen the looks on people's faces. I've never seen a happier group of people"

"And happy people spend more money" Talia nodded, biting the inside of her left cheek to keep herself from bursting into laughter due to the looks on Charlie and Karl's faces. They were the very posterboys for shock and confusion. "Come on, guys. Everyone has sex, it's not that big of a deal"

"No, of course not. I, for one, am kicking myself for not investing in their so-called funeral home before" Karl informed, smoking his pipe. "Granted, they didn't want us to. But we should have insisted. The profits they're making make my mouth water" 

"We've the security contract, that counts for something" Charlie reminded. "Sure, it's a small piece of the pie, but it's a piece of the pie. And we do quite well on our own" 

"Can't argue with that. Well, I never thought it would come to this, but I really am happy that those two came back to Birmingham" Karl smirked, looking around the room, and noticing it was dark outside. 

"I missed them. I don't think I'd be here if it weren't for them" Billy confessed, wholeheartedly thankful for his sobriety. "And the babies love them"


	42. Chapter 42

Taking into account Billy's track record, and with his permission and encouragement, the Shelbies decided that he was bette off dealing with security contracts, and the management of the night clubs. The illegal dealings, the things that would push someone to drink or do drugs, would be left for Bunny, to whom killing, maiming and torturing were nothing of much importance. Billy had been an incredible leader of the Blinders, and would still have a seat at the head of their table, advising on strategies and goals; but now, Bunny sat by his side, and accompanied their men, making sure that the objectives were met, and that Billy could stay sober.

"I don't know if I'll be able to rally them the way you do. I know they trust me, and don't see me like a fragile woman that needs to be kept from the action; I'm one of them, equal in all aspects. But you are... you're one of them, but you're also their leader. I don't know if I can be the same" Bunny confessed, smoking a cigarette with her cousin, looking out from Shelby manor, her forearms on the windowpane. 

"When I took over from my dad, God rest his soul, I thought the same thing. I thought that even being a Shelby, even being his son, that it wouldn't be enough. I stayed awake for nights on end after he died, worrying that I wouldn't be capable of leading them, wouldn't be capable of living up to the expectations everyone had. And truth is, I could only be the man my father was at the expense of almost drinking and snorting myself to death. My dad... my dad did the same before he met Autumn, and it killed him, eventually. But you, Bunny, you have something inside you that makes you almost immune to the moral consequences of the work. Needless to say, please don't take it too far. If you see it's getting to be too much, tell me and we'll find someone else, eh?" Billy replied, grabbing his glass of water and takin a sip. "No shame in that"

"What you mean is that I'm heartless... which may very well be true" Bunny laughed, looking onto the manor grounds, and smelling the perfect scent of nature, and the woods too. "I would do anything to protect my family. Anything. And I consider the Blinders my family. I've no loyalties other than that, and I don't care what has to happen to keep you safe. That's why nothing bothers me: because I know it's for all of you" 

"And can we expect you to settle down with a nice lass, some day? One of us has to, everyone else is already taken" Billy chuckled in return, looking at his cousin, whose caramel-coloured skin received the last of the sun's light and reflected it onto her surroundings, tainting everything in that glow that only the three girls had. 

"Settle down? No, I don't want to. I could change my mind, but I doubt it. I've never fallen in love with anyone, and it's like I said: I most likely don't have the ability to love someone like that. My heart is too full with love for our family" Bunny pondered, flicking the butt of her cigarette out the window, seeing it land smoothly on the cobblestone below. "You?"

"Shit, after that mess of an engagement? I'd rather not, thanks. Love is overrated, anyways. I won't deny the sex was good, but do I really want to spend the rest of my life attached to some boring bitch, just because of the sex?" Billy smuggly said, even though it wasn't the full truth. Deep down, he wanted to find someone, he wanted the nice home and the security of a relationship, of someone whom he could trust, of someone whom he could be open and honest, someone who took care of him when he needed it, and someone he could take care of. 

"What if she ain't boring, eh?" 

"Well, if she's interesting... I'll consider it. Not gonna lie, after what I went through, I'm gonna need a pretty spectacular lass in order to fall in love... and let's just say that spectacular women are way out of my league" he admitted, finishing his water and chewing on the ice that remained, although the night was shaping up to be pretty cold, judging by the wind hitting their faces. 

"A Talia? Or a Mary-Lou? Which one would you pick?" Bunny playfully asked, trying to decide as well, furrowing her brow while she focused on weighing the pros and cons of both women. 

"For me? As a wife? Shit, I have no idea... Both? Neither? I really don't know" Billy concluded, baffled beyond words that he couldn't choose between them. "They are spectacular, no doubt about that, though" 

"Absolutely. Regardless, I could see you being happy with the right woman, the same way I could see you being happy as an eligible bachelor. No shame in either, either; I fully intend on being an eligible bachelor until the day I die" Bunny cheekily smirked, stretching her back. "I love myself a bit of variety" 

"And I would love myself some stability" he admitted, sighing quietly, his posture denouncing the hopelessness he felt. "When everyone went to pick me up at the station, and I saw the babies, I was almost jealous for not having my own family" 

"Don't lose hope, eh? If it's something you want, you'll get it. Sooner or later" Bunny guaranteed, looking off into the distance, and dismissing the chill that went down her spine. It was her sister Birdie, not her, that had the premonitions... although she had this overwhelming feeling that Billy would be granted his only wish, and that it would happen sooner than any of them could expect. 


	43. Chapter 43

Billy looked around before crossing, and made sure there were no cars coming before he crossed. Unfortunately, even though he didn't end up beneath a vehicle, he did get a whiff of cigarette smoke. He'd given it up, along with the drugs and the alcohol, wanting to purge himself from everything that could be called a coping mechanism. The effort was enormous, and of course Billy wanted to waver on his commitment. Nevertheless, seeing his cousins building families, seeing the babies helped him in his quest. Whether there was a light at the end of the tunnel, he didn't know; but if there was, he wanted to be the one to get to it, to see what life was life without anything holding him back. The cigarette smell made Billy snap back into his past self, and, for a second, he saw himself snorting cocaine, with a bottle of whisky in his hand. 

Next thing he knew, he was on the ground, looking up into a pair of hazel eyes, framed by red hair, and a halo of sunlight. 

"I am so sorry! I really am, I didn't see you" the owner of those features said, worry evident on her face. Billy didn't know her, he'd never seen that woman before in his life, but she had something about her that reminded him of Mary-Lou, Karl's wife. 

"That's alright, no problem" Billy responded, sitting up and looking around for his sunglasses. He didn't feel any pain, which made him think that whatever had happened, it didn't involve a collision. Nearby, there was a fallen bycicle, probably belonging to the woman who was now concerned about him. "I'm assuming I was in your way" 

"I think it was the other way around. I think my brakes failed" the woman sighed, helping him up, and looking him over, to make sure she hadn't broken any bones, or ripped any clothing items. "I am genuinely so sorry, sir" ''

"I'm fine, really, don't you worry, eh? Happens to all of us. Want me to look at your bike? See if there's anything wrong with the brakes, anything I can fix?" Billy asked, reaching for the bike and placing it upright. "I'm Billy, by the way" he added, being careful not to use his last name. Reflex or not, it was another coping mechanism, another wall that he had put up after being abandoned before even reaching the aisle, by a complete gold digger. 

"I'm Blythe" the young woman replied, taking Billy's extended hand and shaking it, before taking the wheel of the bike. "Are you sure you're alright? I really am incredibly sorry. And thank you, but don't worry about the bike, I was actually going to take it to the place where I got it, to get it fixed" 

"I feel great, I promise you. Are you new around here?" 

"New to Birmingham, yes. I arrived last week, actually. I work down at the university" Blythe informed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You? You from here?" 

"Born and raised, actually" Billy replied, walking with her, without really noticing they had started to move. "What do you teach? Sorry, I uh... I'm prying" 

"That's alright! I teach finance to night students" Blythe chuckled, hoping she was going in the right direction. "Finance and some small business management, too. For people who want to open shops and that. What about you?" 

"Me? Oh, I uh... I actually manage some nightclubs, you know? Yeah, it's..." Billy smiled, spotting the bycicle shop's sign, and finding out he didn't really want them to arrive there. "It's nice. Here we are, I guess this is where you wanted to get" 

"It is, thank you for walking with me. I feel less bad knowing you can walk" she joked, stopping at the shop's door and turning to Billy. "If anything does come up... if something starts to hurt in the meanwhile... here's my phone number and my name. So you can call me, and sue me" 

As promised, she wrote her name and last name on a piece of paper, followed by her home number, in a clear yet beautiful handwriting. Billy couldn't even believe what was happening to him. Was she for real, did she think he would sue her, or was it a joke, a way to flirt and give him her number? He didn't know the answer to that dilemma, but he did know one thing: he looked like a dingus, jaw dropped and confused gaze in his eyes, because Blythe was looking at him, seemingly thinking she had offended him. 

"Oh no, you're taken. I didn't see a ring, so I thought..." Blythe muttered, blushing violently, torn between kicking herself or awkwardly laughing.

"No, not taken. Got to be honest, I was trying to determine whether you honestly thought I was going to sue you, or if you were flirting" Billy admitted, taking the piece of paper, holding it carefully, looking over the letters and numbers before safely putting it away in a pocket on the inside of his suit jacket. "I'm happy it was the latter, I wouldn't have gotten the guts to ask you for your number, so I'm happy you went ahead and did it" 

"Thank God! Well, I better go... but if you want, Billy... you could call me" she shrugged, smiling brightly before shaking Billy's hand again, and entering the shop, leaving him in the sun, smiling to himself, walking back to his car, wondering how the hell his afternoon had gone from normal, to... to whatever had happened, with a girl actually giving him her number, without even knowing his last name, and being new in town. 


	44. Chapter 44

Needless to say, this is what Bunny looks like now lol 

Being a woman, and being a member of the Peaky Blinders was already unprecedented; being a woman, and leading the illegal dealings of the Peaky Blinders was... well, beyond anything anyone had ever imagined. Billy had stepped down from everything to focus on managing the nightclubs, and there had to be a Shelby at the helm of the gang. By process of elimination, maybe Charlie, or even Karl should've taken over. But no: Bunny was the only one who could be the leader, and every single member knew it, and agreed with the passing of the baton to the young girl. She was now nineteen, and instilled the kind of loyalty in her men that not even Billy had achieved. She drank with them, snorted cocaine with them, killed with them, and tortured at a world-class level, never refusing to get her hands dirty. Her sisters and parents weren't the biggest fans of this career path, but no one could argue that she was sublime at it. Needless to say, she had the bladed cap, and even the hair, although she put a spin of her own on the usual Peaky hairstyle, heightening her likeness with Isaiah Jesus.

"Do you think the novices will like it?" Kitty asked, poking fun at her middle sister. It was the first time they saw each other after Bunny's change in hairstyle, and Kitty had been shocked at first, but was getting used to it now. 

"Oh well, the new one who just went in the convent... she liked it" Bunny chuckled, looking at herself on the mirror of her sister's entryway. "Some things are easier to get to without all the hair in the way" 

"My god... well, I can imagine it" Kitty giggled, leading the way to the living room, where she had set up tea and cookies. Isaac was working, and Kitty had finished school for the day, so she'd decided to invite her sister over, who she didn't see often enough. "Isn't it cold though?" 

"No, it's actually nice. And handy. I fucking love having short hair" Bunny confessed, sitting on an armchair, and crossing her legs. "Mom is gonna lose it, though. Unless she realises I look just like the man she conceived me with" 

"I see it now! Oh my gosh, you do look like him!" Kitty gasped, looking at a picture she had on the coffee table, of Birdie's wedding day, which featured their whole family: herself, Birdie, Henry, Bunny, her dad Finn, and her dad Isaiah, as well as her mom Luna. "Christ, it's kinda uncanny" 

"I know. That's why I don't think she'll hate me" Bunny said, taking a deep breath. "How are you? How are things with Isaac? You still happy with him? 'Cause I can break his ankles if you need me to" 

"Don't do that, he's already had an arm broken. He's... he's amazing, Bun! I'm so happy. He treats me so well, and he'll be staying with us for good" Kitty excitedly said, hapilly pouring the tea for herself and her sister, placing a couple cubes of sugar in each and some milk in the cups as well. "And uh... he asked me the other day if I would have anything against him asking for my hand in marriage" 

Bunny had to put down her teacup, and cough a couple of times to make sure she didn't choke. She was well aware that Isaac was planning on proposing to Kitty: the boy had marched down to their parents' home, having requested that all members of the family were there, including Birdie and Bunny, and even Henry and baby Sunny. After almost having a stroke due to sheer nervous energy, the kid had taken a box from his jacket pocket, and asked them if he could have their blessing for his marriage with Kitty. It had taken a fair pair of balls (or _cujones,_ as Talia would say) to face three members of the Peaky Blinders, and ask to marry the youngest member of their family. 

"And? What did you say?" Bunny asked, getting herself in order before saying anything that could betray Isaac. "Do you want to marry him?" 

"I said yes, of course" Kitty dreamily sighed, sipping on the tea, her eyes sparkling with emotion and antecipation. "I already live with him, right? I love him, and want to be with him for the rest of my life"2

"You're seventeen, girl. Are you absolutely sure?" Bunny asked, despite already knowing the lovesick answer she would get in return. Of course Kitty was sure, and of course forever sounded great. "Again: I'm here, if you need me to" 

"Thank you, but I don't think I'll need you to do anything. I know I'm a bit young, but mom was younger than me when she got married" 

"Well, fair enough, but mom married two men... she's not exactly the standard, eh?" Bunny reminded, making the both of them laugh. "You know what? I like Isaac, and I do think he will be a good husband. You and Billy could do a double wedding" 

"Are you serious? What do you know that I don't?" Kitty asked, eyes wide. 

"He went on a date the other day, and by the look on his face, it went well" Bunny shrugged, not the one to believe Billy would suddenly enter a state of monogamy. "I don't really know who it was with though" 

"Interesting... we could do a double wedding, that would be so class!" 


	45. Chapter 45

Kathryn Newton as Blythe

Billy was more serious than ever before. Blythe was about to walk through the front door of Shelby manor, and he was with her, holding her hand, knowing she wasn't going to run away. Truth be told, even if he hadn't given her a lift to his cousin's home, he trusted her to show up. For a man who was so used to only trusting family, a man who had been destroyed by someone with all the wrong intentions, this meant everything. Equally, Billy had another reassurance: he now knew that he was in love, and he believed Blythe loved him, too. This wasn't about showing off a beautiful woman, this wasn't to show off at all (despite the fact that Blythe was clearly the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on); this was to introduce the woman he was in love with to his family, letting her into the group of people he would die to protect. 

"I hope I'm not intruding" Blythe sighed, holding on to Billy's arm, smoothing her skirt, making sure her hair was correctly fashioned. Even if she knew who some of the people she would be joining were, she had never met them, had never been introduced to them. In the five months she'd been dating Billy, he talked about them a lot, but (understandably) didn't really want to put them at risk by exposing them to a stranger. But now, now that the two of them had said and done things that bound them, with no reservation. 

"Of course you're not, don't ever say, or... you need to stop worrying about that" Billy assured, leaning down to kiss his beloved on the top of the head. "They know how I am, they know how much it means to me that you're with me, and they know how I feel about you. They're really good people, I honestly think they love you already, from the sheer amount I've spoken about you" 

"And do they... have you told them about..." Blythe whispered, focusing on the sound her kitten heels made in the gravel that led to the home that was their destination. "You know what" 

"Your... No, it wasn't really my place to share that. It's your family, I didn't want to say anything" he responded, shrugging. "I know how hard it is for you to speak about it, I know why you're scared" 

"I don't think I'm scared now, because I know you're in the same situation" she sympathised, smiling a bit wider, her hands trembling a little less. "I didn't know anything about you when we met, and you didn't know anything about me. That means neither of us is here for the wrong reasons... not to mention I... Billy, I love you. And I like to think you love me too" 

"I love you. Madly. Really. Even if your family had no shipping company, even if my family didn't have businesses, even if we were both dirt poor and had nowhere to sleep tonight. I adore you, woman. More than I ever thought I could love someone" Billy stated, wrapping his arms around Blythe's waist, kissing her cheek, making her giggle when his stubble brushed against her soft cheek. "And hey... last night? Spectacular. Blessed. Overwhelming. Perfect" he added in her ear, making her laugh out loud, her voice carrying through the trees. 

"I love you, too. And yes, last night was pretty incredible" Blythe agreed with Billy, blushing a little, the tip of her nose turning bright pink. "We shouldn't have waited. I mean, I know why we did, and I don't take it back, but..." 

"We could've been doing it for five months. Yeah, I agree. But waiting was nice" he replied, smiling on the inside, relishing on watching the pink spread over Blythe's face. She wasn't necessarily shy, but he had to agree that the night they had shared was blush-worthy, in the best possible sense, and they both fully agreed on that. Even more important, and however perfect the sex had been, the admissions of love that followed were that much more important. That sort of letting go, of trust, of vulnerability, coming from people who had a hard time with trust, was above everything else. 

* * *

"Is it wrong?"

"No, it's cautious" Charlie reasoned, wanting to get the revelations over with before Billy and Blythe walked through the door and heard them talk about her behind her back. "Spill" 

"I've literally nothing to say. I mean, if any of you thought she was a gold digger like the last one... you might want to sit down" Bunny explained, looking around the room where most of her cousins sat, waiting for the newcomer. "Her family is... pretty wealthy. Like... very loaded" 

"Hm" Karl let out, smoking his pipe, composing himself in the manner that was most characteristic to him. "Interesting" 

"Loaded? So she's not after him for the money? Oof" Birdie huffed, feeling horrible for ever thinking that of Blythe. "In my defence, I was hoping she wasn't a gold digger... but I..." 

"Oh, join the fucking club; I was convinced she was another one of those" Talia chuckled, knowing very damn well that most women who approached Billy had one of two intentions: either be his wife and get his money... or expected to be paid for their services. 

"No, not the case. Besides, they've been going out for about five months, and they've been keeping it quiet... I myself didn't know, and I know everything" Bunny frowned, annoyed that her own cousin had kept a relationship hidden from her eyes and ears all over the city. "She teaches finance" 

"A teacher?" Dominic and Louise gasped in unison, mouths hanging open, true shock in their faces. 

"That's good, isn't it?" Kitty inquired, dying to meet this mysterious woman, whom Billy kept hidden. "I mean, she has her own money, a job..."

"She probably doesn't really need to work... so that's a good sign" Karl agreed, bouncing his toddler son on his leg. "My god, what if he gets married? I'll have to re-evaluate my whole vision of Billy" 

"I would love for him to marry this nice girl" Mary-Lou chimed in, her sweet demeanour bringing a new sense of peace to the conversation. She was the kindest of them, the softest, and she had a very good intuition. "I think I saw her in the city a couple of times, and she seemed genuine" 


	46. Chapter 46

Dominic and Louise looked at Blythe, and she felt the shivers running up and down her spine. This was a normal reaction to the twins, and her sweetheart Billy chuckled at the sight of it. However, the moment they smiled at her and welcomed her into the family, Blythe was no longer afraid of them. The love between the siblings was palpable, and it made the two American-borns much less intimidating. 

"Blythe is such a lovely name" Louise complimented, knowing that she would have to be especially nice to this girl, whom Billy was clearly in love with. Neither her nor her twin had reason to be suspicious, and they too had carried out their own surveys about the young woman. She was so beautiful, and looked as pure as cotton, but everyone had secrets. Hers was as simple as it was reassuring to the Shelby family. 

"Oh, thank you. Louise is, too. I also like your earrings, they are exquisite" Blythe replied, managing to smile through the nervousness. Five months into it, and after countless hours of conversations with Billy, she knew very well that those two (as peculiar as they were), meant the whole wide world to Billy. Besides, she could feel they were good, honest souls, and often misunderstood. 

"You think? Thank you. I will make sure to order a pair for you, from my hometown" Louise offered, exchanging a very knowing smile with Billy, and another with Dominic. That particular piece of jewellery was made by hand in New Orleans by a very skilled artisan, and they resembled the twists and turns of a river; and there was no way Louise would have offered something so precious to just anyone. This was a sign that she approved of Blythe... and if she did, so did Dominic. 

"My gosh, that is too generous, I could never..." Blythe started, but Louise quickly dismissed her, waving her hand in the air. 

"Don't mention it. So, how is Billy treating you? Well, I hope" Louise inquired, taking Blythe's arm and leading her to the sofa where Talia and Birdie sat with their children. "I stole Blythe from the arms of her very devout servant, and brought her to you" she announced to the two women, who smiled widely. This was a sign for them, too: Louise had brought Billy's sweetheart near the children, the most precious parts of their family. 

"Here I am. Talia, thank you again for welcoming me into your home, and thank you to all of you for allowing me to meet your children. They are so sweet" Blythe beamed, looking at Tommy, who was sitting on the sofa on his own, keeping Sunny company as she chewed on her binky. 

"Not at all, we were all dying to meet you. Billy looks so healthy and so happy since he met you" Birdie smiled back, inviting Blythe and Louise to sit on the armchairs that surrounded the sofa. "I speak for myself when I say I never saw him this way" 

"I haven't either. It's such a difference, and we were pretty worried about him at a point" Talia agreed, letting her son play with her hand. "Are you happy with him? I don't know if it's an appropriate question, but hey ho"

"I am, I'm very happy" Blythe guaranteed, wishing she had better words than those to express how she felt about the man who was now chatting with his male cousins. "When I came to Birmingham, I wasn't really expecting to have more than a normal life, you know? I just wanted to work, and pay my bills. But I ran into Billy with my bike, and I don't really know how, but now I have a life with much more than work and bills" 

"Honestly, same thing happened to me... only I almost killed Charlie the first time I met him, because obviously he trespassed on my propriety and threatened my godfather" Talia chuckled, nostalgia in her eyes, as well as a all over her face. The story made Blythe's jaw drop, but she too laughed. "Changed my life" 

"Love always finds a way" Birdie dreamily sighed, remembering meeting Henry under very strange circumstances. "When you least expect it" 

"I can attest to that" Blythe admitted, still looking at Billy from a distance, wishing she could get up and kiss him full on the lips, wrap her arms around his neck and have him whisk her away somewhere private, like he had the night before. "Your cousin is the most incredible man I have ever met, and I don't really have the words" 

* * *

Charlie looked at Karl, and then the both of them looked at Billy. They were both drinking alcohol, but Billy hadn't even touched a drop of water. There'd been a point of his recovery that alcohol had been banned from all glasses, and none of the cousins drank in solidarity. But, eventually, Billy had told them it was alright to drink, and it had been perfect; he had no desire to go ahead and drink, or do snow. Right now, his eyes existed for the sole purpose of looking at Blythe. 

"You're in love" Charlie stated, knowing Billy too damn well what he was seeing. 

"I am in love" Billy agreed, nodding as well, to leave no room for mistakes. "I am so in love I feel like I'm walking on clouds, cousins. Now I understand why you're the way you are with Talia and Lou" 

"Your point being?" Karl asked, suppressing a smile. Where he was concerned, he had always been able to function in a social setting with Mary-Lou around, and he loved his wife more than anything else in the whole wide world. Charlie had been a different type of man in love, though, and Billy seemed to follow that example. 

"I don't blame you for being in love, and for wanting a family and children, and all the things I ran away from. I understand now" Billy mindlessly explained, an arm over the the shoulders of each of his cousins. "I understand loving someone so fucking much you want them to be in your life, forever"

"We need to start planning the wedding, then. When are we picking up the ring?" Charlie asked, appreciating this new, sentimental, passionate Billy. It even made Dominic laugh, and everyone knew he didn't really laugh very much. 

"What do you think? We've been taking it slow, I asked us to, and Blythe agreed. She understands, Charlie... She understands the recovery, understands the loss..." Billy lowered his voice, almost as if he was conspiring. "But she's good for me, she's good to me; and I do want to marry that woman, I really do. Would that be too quick?" 

"I would have married Talia the day after Birdie and Henry's wedding" Charlie shrugged, and Karl agreed, as he too was ready to marry Mary-Lou the day after he saw her for the first time. "But you might want to pull an Isaac and ask what her thoughts are on the subject" 

"For sure; have a conversation with her before you propose. Best way to go" Karl added, lighting a cigar and wondering what Blythe would say to this proposition. To be honest, she looked so damn happy that a yes was probably guaranteed. 


	47. Chapter 47

At the end of that day, Blythe no longer felt as if she was a stranger, an outsider. She looked happy, and comfortable; so much so that Billy felt like having a very specific conversation with her, on the way to her home. The stars were up in the sky, the babies were sleeping, and the cousins who didn't live at Shelby Manor were going to their homes. Karl and Mary-Lou were with Ada, Bunny had gone home to her parents, Birdie and Henry headed to their townhouse, Isaac had come to get Kitty, and the twins walked to their funeral home. Blythe and Billy didn't share a home yet, and he would go back to the manor once his sweetheart was in her flat, safe and sound. Unless... he wouldn't want to assume, but he hadn't wanted to assume the day before, and he ended up in Blythe's bed. 

"Did you have fun?" Billy inquired, offering his arm to Blythe, so that her kitten heels could better navigate the cobblestone street. "My family can be a little overwhelming, there are many cousins to keep track of" 

"Oh, I had an amazing time! I like how big your family is; I don't have any cousins, no babies in my family... meeting the little ones was so special" Blythe confessed, a smile hiding in the dark, but a smile that Billy could feel without using his eyes. 

"They are our everything. We're pretty protective of each other, but the little ones are especially sacred" Billy agreed, not needing to elaborate on that: the woman he had by his side understood family, ad understood protecting loved ones. She did the same, by keeping her financial status a secret, and by not using the family name to get ahead. "Like I said when I invited you, it took me this long because none of us brings a new person into the group unless it's... for real. On both sides. You and me, committed" 

"Absolutely, I completely understand" Blythe nodded, smelling the perfume of Billy's cologne in the air, even after so many hours since he applied it. "I wouldn't be in a relationship with someone unless both our intentions were good" 

"Right, exactly. And uh... like you said, we are committed. We are, right? I am committed to you, and you did say you were committed to me. So I..." Billy mumbled, trying to get his thoughts straight. It wasn't easy for a not very well spoken man to put into words a partnership based on love and trust, such as the one he was in. "What I mean is that I trust you, and that I love you. You have helped me in so many ways, and I dreamed of a love like this for so long... and now you're here, and I don't know how else to put this, but I wanted to ask you to consider the possibility of us getting married. This isn't a proposal, it's a... just putting the idea out there" 

Blythe stopped in the middle of the empty street, and turned to Billy, facing him as best as she could with the difference in their heights. Instead of linking arms, she took both his hands into hers, and took her time breathing and taking in the momentous statement, and the step that Billy had the courage to take. In fact, it was something Blythe herself wanted to approach, but hadn't had the courage, hadn't found the right moment. She had even considered proposing to Billy herself, but she too came to understand marriage was something to be discussed profoundly between a couple. Romantic as it was, it was a contract, for life, between two people. 

"You beat me to it. I wanted to ask you the same, too" she admitted, looking her sweetheart in the eyes, taking advantage of a nearby street light. He looked nervous, and his hair had been messed up by the wind, but he was as handsome and precious as ever. "I think I wanted to know whether your cousins would accept me and give me their blessing before asking" 

"I knew they would adore you, and they did, they told me as much. Even the twins, who are very hard to please when it comes to me" Billy chuckled, remembering Louise offering Blythe a pair of earrings from New Orleans. Such a small gesture was huge for the three of them, as was Talia, Birdie and Mary-Lou allowing her to play and hold the little ones. "Yeah, I was waiting to see whether you felt comfortable around them before asking anything like this. So, I guess... I guess you're on board with the idea?"

"I am, yes. But if you want to back out, if at some point you feel differently, feel free to tell me and you're not obligated to anything..." Blythe started, but Billy interrupted what she was about to say by kissing her full on the lips, not caring one bit if her bright red lipstick stained his mouth. 

"Marriage is forever. There are no ifs or buts about that. I will not want to back out" Billy assured, kissing Blythe again, this time on the forehead. "You're the one who might have second thoughts" 

"No. Marriage is forever for me, too" she agreed, beaming with happiness and purpose, imbued with the kind of idealism that only love can bring. "I love you"

"I love you, too. Now you need to go to bed, get out of this cold. I'll come round tomorrow, if that's alright" he responded, already missing her touch, missing her scent, and her presence. Truth be told, he would happily sit beneath her window, dreaming of her beauty and calm while she slept, watching over her from a respectful distance. 

"Do you have somewhere to be tonight?" 

"I don't, no"

"Come up with me, then" Blythe offered, extending her gloved hand to Billy, and blushing ever so slightly as she pulled him into her building. 


	48. Chapter 48

Billy laid in bed, his head on an unfamiliar pillow, contrasting with the beloved scent that hung in the air. The curtains were drawn, but the windows were open, so a nice breeze flowed through the room. Although others might qualify it as ice cold, Billy could not really feel uncomfortable, and was even thankful that there was some semblance of a low temperature to cool his body down. Eventually, he knew he would be better off under the covers, but for now, he was more than happy to stay like this, and stay like this forever. 

"I forgot the window" Blythe ended up whispering, her voice sounding like she felt: spent, happy, tired, overjoyed, her muscles tingling and her mouth almost completely dry. "Should I close it?" 

"No, you shouldn't; I'll go" Billy responded, getting up before his sweetheart could do the same, and closing the window, past caring if someone on the outside saw him naked as the day he was born. Returning to her company, he took his time tucking her into the blanket and sheet, before snuggling to her. "Better?" 

"Much better. Didn't want to catch a cold and lose my voice" she said, wondering if she really was melting into Billy's body, or if it was just her brain playing tricks on her. "How would I teach, then?" 

"That's very true" he agreed, kissing her neck and the top of her head, moving just enough to touch his lips to her skin, without losing the full contact of his chest and thighs with her back and limbs. "You're beautiful. Truly, you are so gorgeous, especially when you smile that you're smiling now" 

"I'm beautiful? Have you sen yourself, with the blushed cheeks and sleepy eyes?" she purred, turning to him, and running the pad of her pointer finger down his nose, down his neck, and landing on top of his heart, feeling it beating under her fingertips. "I love you, and I love what just happened" 

"Yeah? Did you really?" Billy asked, knowing the two of them were being redundant, as it was patent in their body language that none of them could be happier, or more satisfied by being in each other's company. It was now raining outside, and the drops of heavy rain pelted the window with strength and loud noises. This was the perfect night, and it got more perfect by the second, from the point of view of two lovers in between the sheets. "Your bed is better than mine. Not that I don't like the manor, but I think the mattress in that particular room is older than me, by a few decades" 

"I did make sure to splurge on a good mattress. Everything else is secondary, but sleep is really important to me" Blythe informed, grateful for the ability to have a comfortable flat, and a good bed to share with the man she was in love with, and whom she hoped to marry one day. Despite being in love, Blythe was not the sort of woman who ever wanted to depend on a man to live, and she was lucky in that respect: she had a job, and she had the blessing of coming from a family who could help out if she needed it. "I'll admit, though... I didn't really consider sex when I got it, but it also works well for that" 

"Couldn't agree more"

* * *

Kitty, like her cousin Billy, dedicated her night to staring at her significant other. Isaac was sleeping after a full day of work, taking care of salaries and the books for Shelby Brothers Limited. Karl had announced the end of their day when Billy arrived with his partner, Blythe, but by then, the two of them had been at it for over eight hours, and Isaac took the chance to go home and rest, take a nap, put his feet up. Kitty would tell him everything when she arrived, and he would take the time to recover from the gruelling days that led up to payday. 

"You're staring at me" Isaac groaned, waking up to find Kitty's blue eyes watching over him. He liked to complain just to get a rise over her, but Kitty wasn't the kind to actually get mad: she was mostly shocked by his disregard for what she deemed romantic gestures. "Why aren't you sleeping?" 

"I was worried about you" Kitty admitted, and she didn't look very playful, which Isaac found odd. 

"Worried? Why? I'm absolutely fine, no need to worry about me" he assured, pulling her so that she could lay her head as near to his as possible. "What made you worry?" 

"You looked really tired, earlier. And you've bags under your eyes" she pointed out, reaching for her beloved's eyes as softly as she could. Kitty was, by nature, a kind, caring young woman, but even she was struggling to find a way to help her partner. "Is it because of payday?" 

"Yeah, that's all it is. And there are a lot of new people, so it's hard to process all that. It's good, but it's difficult" Isaac sighed, kissing the tip of Kitty's nose. "That's all it is, though, I promise. I'm not sick, not sad, nothing. I promise you, Kit" 

"I think I freaked out, sorry" 

"Sorry? No, no need to apologise, I really appreciate you looking out for me" 

"Does it mean that you can sleep a little longer tonight? Everyone has been paid, right?" Kitty asked, doing the maths in her head. 

"Yes, exactly. Karl gave me the morning off, and I only need to go into work in the afternoon for a couple of hours to finish some minor details, see if anyone has any issues" Isaac informed, letting out a satisfied breath, followed by a sweet smile. "Gosh, I cannot wait to sleep more than five hours. Unless you need me tomorrow"

"I need you to sleep as much as you want, and then when you wake up, I'll make sure to bring you breakfast in bed, like you did for me after my exams" Kitty remembered, sure that the memory of waking up with all the free time in the world, and being served breakfast in bed by a man like Isaac was one she would hold on to for the rest of her life. "Pancakes and bacon?"

"Oh, that sounds so good. And do I get to kiss the cook, too?" he cheekily asked, making Kitty chuckle into his chest. "I love you, and I love how much you care about me, and I promise to care about you the same way. Deal?" 

"Yeah, deal" she agreed, happily nodding. "You need to go to sleep, your eyes are closing. And as cute as it is... you need to rest" 

"I'm going to kiss you so damn much tomorrow, just you wait; I'm gathering strength to kiss you for a full ten hours" Isaac trailed off, drifting off to sleep while Kitty laughed at him, until she too fell asleep. 


	49. Chapter 49

Louise looked at the rings, observing them through her sunglasses, before deigning to take them off, and store them in her bag. She was an admirer of fine jewellery, and although diamonds were not her preference, she was very knowledgeable on the subject of gems. Hence, Billy recruited her to pick the engagement ring to be given to Blythe, as a symbol of their engagement. So far, they were leaning toward the Asscher diamonds, which sparkled brightly yet elegantly. As for the band, the pick was between rose and white gold, after Louise deemed yellow gold to be outdated. 

"Do you like this one?" Billy asked, pointing out one of the baubles, not even daring to touch or pick up the jewel. 

"Hm. I do like it, yes. Elegant" Louise agreed, examining the diamond and nodding at the quality. There was nothing like a sparkly precious stone to get her heart racing, in a way nothing else did. This particular engagement ring featured an Asscher-cut diamond, with two trillion-shaped diamonds flanking it. None of the stones were overly big, so the final result wasn't obnoxious or flashy. Sure, it wasn't as subtle as a small solitaire, but Blythe could carry it perfectly on her long, slender finger. "Good clarity, no chipping... excellent" 

"Thank you, miss Cormier-Shelby" the jeweller nodded, in deference to a regular and well-informed customer such as Louise Cormier-Shelby. "it is an outstanding piece, and it speaks to mister Shelby's refined taste. I believe the young lady will be very pleased" 

"I think so, too" Louise smiled, breaking character for her adored brother, and his spectacular future wife. "And no doubt Blythe is the only one who would be able to wear this ring" 

"It does take a specific type of elegance to carry a ring like this, I could not agree more" the jeweller added, having a very good idea of who the lucky one would be: his own wife had pointed out Billy Shelby's sweetheart on the High Street. Blythe was a gorgeous woman, with a posture that was kind yet dignified. Besides, her colouring would bring out the Asscher diamond and its companions. 

"Yes, yes, I agree. I love it. I can't wait to give it to Blythe" Billy beamed, trying his hardest to imagine his own wedding to the woman of his dreams. Having placed his order, Billy offered his arm to Louise, and the two exited the small workshop. With her parasol in hand, Louise Cormier-Shelby took her time putting on her sunglasses back on her face, and adjusting her trench coat before allowing Billy to walk with her down the street. 

"Are you happy? I think you made the perfect choice" Louise said, her heels making their particular noise on the cobblestone. 

"I am so happy, but now I'm... I wouldn't say nervous to propose, but I want to make sure it's perfect" Billy replied, moderating the speed of his steps to keep up with his sister. "She knows I'll do it, but doesn't know when" 

"What do you think she'd prefer? At home? Or maybe at the manor, in the garden? That would be beautiful, the roses are coming up" she suggested, remembering herself and her twin brother walking through that very scenery, wondering whether they could do something similar at their own residence's smaller garden. 

"I'll think about it; I love that idea, though" 

* * *

In some other world, Bunny would have felt something when she went ahead and slashed someone's throat with her cap. Truth be told, she didn't give a hell anymore, and she didn't care if there were spectators. She didn't feel empowered, didn't feel strong, didn't feel anything other than a complete void. She had tried, in the past, to mimic the emotions that she knew others had to violence and murder, but she'd quit out of exhaustion. Trying to experience something like shame, or sadness, or regret took too much energy, and she didn't like to be any less than alert. 

"Hey" Isaac called out, startling her, who wasn't expecting someone to go into the balcony she was occupying, overlooking the grounds of the manor. She'd gone there to touch base with Talia about some contracts, and then took the liberty to just hang around, take some time to relax and not think about work. 

"Hi. You alright?" Bunny inquired, happy to see that her sister's partner looked way better than he had the last time she'd seen him. Before, he was obviously in great need of a nap, which he seemed to have had now. 

"Yes, I'm doing very well. Less work. You?" 

"I'm great, although I do have a bunch of shit to deal with" she replied, sensing that there was something Isaac was not saying, but which he didn't want to come right out and say it. "You and Kitty, still happy?" 

"Oh, Kitty is... my whole world, I am so happy to wake up next to her, and take care of her. I can't even believe this is my life" Isaac smiled, so widely that Bunny almost felt jealous of the amount of romantic love he was able to feel. Bunny herself loved her sisters and her parents more than anything in the world, but that sort of love? No, she couldn't do that, couldn't get there. "She made me pancakes the other day, the day after payday, when I could barely get out of bed" 

"She's sweet like that. She used to make me and Bird tea and cookies whenever we had a cold when we were younger" Bunny said, seeing those little gestures clearly in her head. Birdie, on the other hand, was the one who tended to scrapes and other wounds, with care and so much love it poured out of her; it only made sense that she became a nurse, married to a doctor, with a gorgeous baby born out of a beautiful love story. 

"I can see that. I'm so lucky. Shit, I don't know how I got this lucky, but I did and... she probably told you I asked her if she would consider marrying me, and she said yes, surprisingly. She said that she didn't want a ring, or an elaborate proposal. The proposal thing is fine by me, but I would like to get her a ring, or... I don't know, something to symbolise the engagement. Does that make any sense?" 

"Yeah, sure it does. And damn right, I think you should get a ring for her. Nothing too flashy, but something with meaning" Bunny agreed, again identifying Bunny in that type of statement: what engaged girl of her age didn't want a diamond? Kitty didn't, simply because the commitment was enough for her. 

"I was thinking I could get her a ring with her birthstone? Your mum told me about them, and I like the significance a lot. I know it's not traditional, but Kitty isn't the traditional type, is she?" Isaac chuckled, virtually sitting on top of all the research he could about alexandrites and pearls. "I also noticed your mum has gold wedding bands, so I was thinking a gold band" 

"You saw my mom's rings, eh?" Bunny straight up laughed, leaning against the window. "Well, pretty sure Henry also knows, so it makes sense that Kitty told you" 

"She did. Honestly? I think it's pretty great. I mean, I hope Kitty doesn't... fall for another man, because I don't think I would want to share, nor do I think I can fall in love with someone else" Isaac explained, praying to gods of every religion. "I love your family, and the secret is safe with me. I'm deeply honoured to be trusted with it" 

"Yeah, I love my family, too. And I love it more with you and Henry in it, actually. Never thought I would say this, but it's the honest truth. I know I can trust you both, and that's really all I could ask for for my sisters" 


End file.
